The Dance of the Mark
by CHEVEYO
Summary: Post War: Harry is dead, Hermione was in love. She must live a life without him, Lucius places a mark of possession, society thinks he has changed, but she knows differently.She runs away and finds a muggle who looks just like Harry? Will Lucius kill him?
1. Anniversary

Chapter 1

Harry had died during the war against Voldemort and though the madman was taken out, it left everyone with sadness and anger anyway, especially Hermione. Most of his Death Eaters had been sent to Azkaban, except for Lucius Malfoy who had cooperated at the last moment to give information. Hermione was angry about that too, but there was no time to think about it.

She had started working for a company that had offered her a good job, and though she wanted to become an Auror and even got an exceptance letter at the academy, she couldn't bring herself to do it...at least for now. Hermione Granger wanted a break from all of it, she wanted a break from her memories that haunted her when she slept, she wanted a break from violence and trying to bring criminals to justice...because in all honesty, she had lost some faith in the system. The dementors were allowed back to Azkaban, it was the only way to keep any of the Death Eaters at bay and kept them from breaking out.

And now, there she was, thinking about it again...how she missed Harry. Hermione was under more pressure from Ron to marry, saying that 'it's what Harry would have wanted' and that 'he loved her and would take good care of her'. WHAT THE HELL DID RON KNOW!

But Ron didn't know and niether did Ginny.

They didn't know that during the finding of the last horcruxes and the fighting off of constant attacks from Death Eaters, that Harry and Hermione had fallen in love with each other.

It was an accident.

Ron didn't know that the one day he was gone with Remus and Tonks to talk with Mr. Weasley, Harry deliberately stayed behind because he and Hermione were working on new strategies...or at least that's what he told them. Hermione herself didn't know what was really going on, sure, she had developed feelings for Harry but put it out of her mind because of Ginny. Besides, Ron was suitable...suitable, but not Harry. Yet, lately he had said such strange things to her, like when they were laughing he had said 'you know...we should end up together' or 'Gods Hermione, you're so smart...I wonder what OUR children would be like?' At first she thought he was kidding but then that night he admitted to her how he felt and she was so glad, but at the same time felt absolutely horrid. What about Ginny? What about Ron? Would they be angry at them? Most likely.

However, it did not matter now. Her Harry was dead. And that dream of having children, having a life with him, was gone forever. She never did tell Ginny what happened, she couldn't bring herself to do it, or even tell Ron. She didn't want to destroy what little family she had left. Yes. Her parents were killed too, a tactic of the Death Eaters and as far as she knew, Lucius Malfoy was not involved at the time because he was confessing to the Ministry...no doubt to save his own skin. He knew which way the wind was blowing, and like a rat deserting a sinking ship, he scurried off to safety. For a person who claimed he was a noble pure-blood, there was nothing really noble about his actions. Still, rumors had spread that he had become more...gentle, trying to work his way back into high society. But I guess when one loses his son and wife, it does tend to change one...just as it did when she lost her parents and Harry.

She was no longer the fiesty Hermione that everyone knew and loved. She had become distant, quiet, and mild-mannered. Her heart had been shattered into a billion pieces, and with that many pieces laying around, there was no way one could collect all of them and put them back together correctly. No, Hermione was no longer herself and she doubted she ever would be again.

Hermione sighed and looked at the paperwork on her desk, almost finished. After this she was going home. Ron wanted her to owl him when she did so he could take her out to a nice dinner, but she didn't want to. She had to tell him that she didn't want to marry him, that all they would be were friends.

"HEY."

Hermione jumped, "oh, Greg...hi"

"Where were you off this time?"

"Nowhere, just tired. Can't wait to finish the rest of this and just go home and soak in a nice bath."

"Well...um..."

"Greg."  
"It's that they called a..."

"GREG."  
"A last minute meeting and it won't take long...the new investors wanted to see the new statistics for upcoming year and...I figured..."

"GREG!"

"Well, you're better than me at explaining all this and plus...hey, you look good."

"OH GOOD GRIEF," Hermione spat.

"Oh, please...I'll owe you one," he did a cheeky grin.

"Actually, you owe me three...fine. What else have I got to do?" she sighed and then thought, 'other than see Ron and I really don't feel up to another session of 'we should get married, Hermione'.

Hermione packed up her things, got the charts ready and headed to the boardroom with Greg, "there is one thing though." Hermione stopped and glared at him. "It's just, there's someone on the board that you know...and it's not exactly a favorite someone, but just keep you cool, okay?"

"Who?"

"Just keep your cool. Remember, everyone loves a war hero...so smile."

She grinned sarcastically and opened the boardroom doors, Greg almost ran into her when she stopped dead in her tracks to find Lucius Malfoy staring straight ahead, his head turned and his face dropped slightly and narrowed his eyes.What was that filthy mudblood doing in one of the companies he owned part of! Lucius watched as she straightened her shocked face and went straight to the head of the table to do the presentation. He grinned at her anger and clear signs of being uncomfortable because he was in the room...he still made her nervous. Good. He eyed her, how she had filled out nicely...but he hadn't been with a woman in so long that ANYTHING was bound to look good. None of the pure-bloods would have anything to do with him until his reputation was completely restored. It was a strike to his ego for certain. He was Lucius Malfoy, and normally he could get any woman into bed...but not now, now he was paying his dues.

Lucius watched as she gave the presentation, Granger was at least capable of speaking well. Still, he made her uncomfortable and she avoided eye contact with him but made eye contact with everyone else who seemed pleased with her. This bothered him. It bothered him because he felt he was being disrespected as a business partner and investor. She even made a few jokes and they laughed, but he did not, nor did she seem to care that he didn't. And it was again another insult. She knew it insulted him. She knew ediquette when it came to business, but because it was him, she didn't care. The man standing next to her cared, this 'Greg' was looking at him almost apologetically...because whether or not Hermione Granger knew it...he was the MAIN investor.

Everyone clapped but Lucius only tapped his cane on the floor. 

Hermione quickly exited, she didn't care if he was the main investor or not. Greg had scolded her for being disrespectful. She only argued, "WHY is it everyone has forgotten what he's done! I haven't, I was there! You all would sell yourselves to the devil if he offered you enough money!"

"HERMIONE! That's not fair!"

"Then don't yell at me because I refuse to acknowledge the very people who helped kill my family. He knew, I know he knew! He could have given them information that would save them, but he didn't! So just leave me alone about it."

"Hermione...I'm sorry," Greg sighed. "Look, go home and relax, take the weekend and have some fun. You've worked really hard, okay?"

"Alright...thank you," Hermione smiled as he hugged her, he was such a good friend. He left her office and she started packing her briefcase. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw someone standing in the doorway, Hermione turned and froze again...it was Lucius Malfoy. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

He tutted, "now, now Ms. Granger, is that any way to treat a primary investor? I've come here with a few questions."

She sighed, of course he wanted to piss her off even more. It seemed to be a talent of the Malfoys. "Of course," she said flatly. "What are your questions?"

"Am I keeping you from something?" Lucius drawled.

"Yes. But I doubt that matters to you...so go ahead and ask, please."

"Fine. What I would like to know is why you disrespected me in that boardroom this afternoon?"

Hermione's jaw almost dropped, "excuse me? Wh...why did I disrespect YOU? Are you KIDDING? Did the Ministry perform a memory charm on you!"

Lucius narrowed his eyes, "I'd watch your tongue Ms. Granger. It could cost you your JOB!"

"You know what...I don't care," she slammed files into her briefcase.

Why is it that bastard lived and Harry and her parents died? She could have had a wonderful life with Harry...children, they talked about children...marriage, she pictured a big family Christmas every year with a boy and a girl...she pictured her children going to Hogwarts and being there for their first train ride on the Hogwarts Express! The wounds were just scabbed over, it was only a year ago, and he ripped them open again with his mere presence!

"You should," he hissed.

"You know what, Mr. Malfoy...if you want to have me fired, that's fine. I've been accepted by the Auror Academy anyway, I was just taking a break from all the crime fighting...but seeing you again has just rekindled that desire. So if you want this mudblood out of your company, the just say the word!"

Hermione was beyond livid, she didn't care, either way, she'd be okay. Her parents had left enough money in their insurance to take care of her for a long while, it would come in handy not having to work while going to the Academy anyway...she could focus on studying. Hermione balled up her fists, almost daring him...in fact, she wanted him to say it, why would she want to work for a company that allowed someone like him on the board anyway!

Lucius looked slightly uncertain, his eyebrows were raised as he looked down his nose at her. Hermione hadn't realized it, but was almost on top of him. She shocked herself and stepped back, turned around, grabbed her briefcase and left. His eyes narrowed as they followed her small frame.

Hermione stopped for a moment, "If you have me fired, please have my employer be curteous enough to send an owl so I can make my plans and get my things"

"YOU are not the only person who lost things precious to them in the war, Ms. Granger," he hissed.

"You're right, I'm not. You did too, your son and wife, your son not really wanting to be a Death Eater got killed trying to help the Order, your wife got killed trying to protect you...I know these things. We both have lost a lot, the difference between you and me though, is that you lost YOUR DIGNITY," she spat the last part.

Lucius's eyes widened in furry, he wanted to strike her down, "Why you little..."

Hermione didn't even bother to face him, he wasn't worth it...yet another insult to him, "please, there's not need to get upset. Do you really think it was noble of you to abandon your master? Do you think it was noble of you to kill innocent people who didn't agree with you, or muggles who were defenseless against magic? That's a coward's act, Mr. Malfoy. Attacking those that are weaker than you... You're common to me, you hold no nobility to me, because no matter what, I stuck by my friends, I didn't abandon them...I can't say the same for you. You did what you did to save your own skin...meanwhile, while your back was turned, Voldemort got a hold of your family in retalliation. I am sorry for that...I'm sorry they lost their lives. But I'm not sorry for you...every dirty look you get, every comment, every disrespectful gesture you get from someone, is something YOU'VE earned. I owe you nothing Mr. Malfoy, because you are nothing to me..."

She walked away then, not showing the tears that were in her eyes and leaving Lucius shaking in fury, and wanting to strangle her with his own bare hands...he'd gladly take his black gloves off to strangle her with his own bare hands.Hermione raced home, trying to compose herself enough to make it to her flat. And when she did, she broke down...why did it have to be today! Today was the anniversary of Harry's death. Everyday she worked through it, everyday she would remind herself to breathe in and out, everyday she would get out of bed and try to look forward to something new...she couldn't dwell on it forever and she knew it. But seeing that bastard again and on the day Harry had died, it was too much. However, she got to say what she wanted to say to him...and he couldn't do a damned thing about it! Hermione almost wanted to laugh at it now, but she smiled instead. She could die happy knowing she had just insulted to the great Lucius Malfoy.

She took out the photograph that Harry had taken of them together, it wasn't in the best position, but it was a clear enough shot where it showed him holding her, her laughing and smiling as she nuzzled and kissed his neck. It was after they had first made love, it was both their first time, and they were glowing...they had their clothes on thankfully. He was being so silly.

Hermione wiped away her tears and mumbled, "Gods Hermione, stop feeling so sorry for yourself...Harry would be so disappointed in you right now." She put the picture away in secret place where only she could find it, mainly because Ginny always came over and if she ever saw it, well, Hermione wasn't prepared to tell her...and doubted she ever would be. But now she got ready, she was going to the graveyard where Harry and his family lay, where Tonks, Remus, and Moody lay...so many deaths. All because of one madman, but that was the way it usually went.

She never wore black, but today she did. Hermione didn't tell Ginny she was going, this was her time, her time with Harry and the others. She had to admit that she felt him with her. Hermione wasn't one to totally believe in ghosts, but wasn't totally closed minded about it either...she believed that there were things in this life that couldn't be explained, how else could magic be explained? It really couldn't. So, sometimes when she thought about Harry, and she would feel a hand on her shoulder or a caress in her hair, and turned around and no one would be there...she didn't try to explain it. At first it freaked her out and thought her mind was playing tricks on her...but then it happened a few more times, and she believed that it was him telling her that he was okay. It hadn't happened in a while and she felt that it was good in a way, they both had to let go.

Hermione brought roses and left them on each of the headstones...talking to them and telling them how she was doing, which they might know...but told them anyway. Tears were inevitable, but they weren't as bad as before. Then she did a most unusual thing, Hermione put roses on Narcissa Malfoy's and Draco Malfoy's tombstones as well and simply said, "I'm sorry." She walked off not knowing that someone had followed her.

* * *

Lucius had followed her, that little mudblood had insulted him and he wasn't about to let her get away with it! He had found her file and was going to her little flat where he would confront her and maybe even kill her if he could find a way to get away with it. Instead, he saw her exit the building and hid behind a large tree. She was dressed in black for some reason, a color he never saw her in except for her cloak. The mudblood also carried roses and wondered where she was going.

He followed at a distance and realized she was headed for the local cemetary and watched as she put roses on each of the graves, she seemed to pay special attention to Harry Potter's where she cried over it the longest. She wiped the leaves off his gravestone with care and even took her fingers, kissed them, and put them on his stone. Lucius heard her say, "I miss you." Yet she said it to no one else...was he something very special to her? Were they together? Then he watched as she headed over to the Malfoy part of the graveyard...WHAT WAS SHE PLANNING TO DO!

Lucius narrowed his eyes, but then jerked his head back in suprise as he laid roses down on thier graves as well and said, "I'm sorry." She walked away hugging herself in the cold evening air and disappeared into the mist. He couldn't believe what he just saw, why would the mudblood remotely care about HIS family? Hermione got an owl from Ron to find out when she wanted to go to dinner, she simply wrote back that she didn't...she wasn't in the mood. How could he forget that it was Harry's anniversary? Ginny didn't. She wrote Hermione a long letter on how she missed him very much as was feeling guilty because she was considering going on a date with Neville Longbottom. Hermione wasn't jealous at all, in fact, she was touched and told Ginny 'to go for it'. She wished she could do the same...but there was no one that she was remotely interested in. Greg had hinted, Ron was obvious...but no, no one touched her heart the way Harry did and she lived with that. Maybe someday...just not today. 


	2. Claim

Chapter 2

Hermione sat down for lunch with Ron and tried to explain why she didn't feel they should marry, but for some reason Ron just didn't understand. "Are you afraid of losing me too?"

"Of course!" Ron put his hands out in exaggeration, like she should know better. "Then you run into Lucius Malfoy, are you kidding!"

"Me marrying you isn't going to make all this go away. The fact is Ron, I love you, but as a friend."

He looked down, "it's just I thought...you know...that we would always end up together. Is there someone else?"

"No...no, there might have been...but...he's gone now," she almost choked. "Look, I appreciate all you've done and being there, I just can't."

"I guess I understand."

"Thank you for at least trying."

Ron could only nod, but Hermione felt like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Yes, Ron and her were sort of together when her and Harry confessed their feelings, but after Harry's death, everything fell spectacularly to pieces. It was never the same. They said their goodbyes and she told him to tell Ginny that she would owl her soon.

* * *

Lucius watched from the back of the cafe...he had heard the conversation and almost wanted to laugh at the young Weasley. So desperate to get the young girl to marry him...he doubted he was her type. It had been well known that Hermione was much smarter than the two, it was practically a joke to think that she would be married into THAT family.

It was sheer chance that he happened to be sitting at the same cafe that the mudblood and the young Weasley decided to eat. But for further fun, he decided to follow her. She clearly was distracted by thought and would make her an easy target...startle her, toy with her. And even though he couldn't kill her, he'd definately make her suffer slightly for insulting him...he still hadn't forgotten.

He watched as she walked through the park, taking a casual stroll, then bought some bird food and sat down on a bench, feeding the ducks. Lucius noticed how sad she seemed to look, almost mindlessly feeding the animals. The little mudblood was clearly unaware and defenseless, so he decided to startle her a little. He walked and clicked his cane rather loudly on the pavement and at first she paid no attention, until he got just a few feet from her...finally, she looked up and jumped, her wand hand twitching.

"Ms. Granger...if I were a snake, I would have bit you."

"Really, I didn't think there was a difference," Hermione gasped and put her hand over her mouth. Then threw her hands up slightly, "you know..I'm sorry, it's just...everytime I see you, these nasty comments come out. So, I think I'll leave." She tried to walk past him, her flat was the other way and she had to get around him, but Lucius wasn't about to let another insult slide. "Exuse me," Hermione snapped.

Lucius gripped his cane, he either wanted to beat her with it or Crucio her with the wand end. "No. I will not excuse you...you have have insulted me over and over again. And I would like an apology from you."

Hermione started sincerly laughing, not sarcastically, sincerely laughing at the former Death Eater who was looking for an apology...from her, a muggleborn! The one he and his son called 'mudblood' every time she turned around, the one he tried to kill one hundred times over... She saw the look on his face, he was infuriated.

"STOP LAUGHING THIS INSTANCE!"

She tried to stop, she honestly did, but she couldn't help it and didn't even know why she kept laughing. "I'm...I'm sorry for laughing, it's just...you're actually wanting an apology from me! That's rich, I'm sorry...but that's just...never going to happen."

"You had better apologize for being rude," he hissed.

"Or you'll what?" Hermione glared at him. Lucius looked down at her, he wanted to strangle that neck of her's. "What? WHAT? Nothing is what. You can't, you're too busy trying to work your way back into your little aristocratic circle. It is you who should be apologizing to me and every other person you've hurt in the wizarding world and muggle. For every time you and your son called me 'mudblood', or every time you tried to kill me during the war...and you THINK I owe you an apology? PLEASE. Now I have to go, I have better things to do like laundry..." She tried to walk around him again, but again Lucius stood in her way, "WHAT."

Suddenly, he couldn't control himself, he covered her mouth and dragged her to a very remote area of the park. Slamming her body into a tree, knocking the wind out of her, Hermione couldn't breathe right and felt like she was going to pass out. Lucius was in her face, "do you think for one moment I would allow you to talk to me like that! Whether or not I was a Death Eater has nothing to do with this anymore, it has more to do with the fact that I don't allow filthy mudbloods to talk to me, a pure-blood, in such a manner."

Her removed his hand and she gasped for air, her head dizzy and lightheaded. Hermione tried to push him away, but she couldn't. "Get away from me!" she hissed.

How Lucius loved it when they struggled, he remembered Narcissa on their wedding night...how scared she was and tried to get away, but that didn't work. Of course after a while, she wanted him..he made her want him. And this little mudblood was no different...he needed it, his body ached for sex, and she was no more than a muggleborn who made the mistake of making him angry.

He put his hand back over her mouth and forced her head to the side as he kissed and licked her neck. She started to panic, what was he doing? Why was he doing this to her? She felt him yank her buttoned sweater partially open, pulling it over her shoulders...Lucius sighed at the beautiful unmarred and white skin, creamy white, soft and suple. He wanted to make his mark, but knew what it meant if he did...and grazed his teeth over her left shoulder. Hermione sensed what he was going to do? She started to jerk, but it did no good. Then she felt his teeth sink into her flesh and jerked her head back, tears were forming in her eyes and she screamed in his hand.

Lucius sucked furiously, his teeth drawing blood, he couldn't help it. And after he had a nice large and purple mark on her shoulder, he kissed it. "Mark of a Malfoy," he purred in her ear. "I gave this to Narcissa, so she would remember who she belonged to...but in your case, it's to remind you that no matter how hard you try, you'll never really escape me. I still am very capable of many things, Ms. Granger, you should remember that. But I also put it there as a reminder for today...I think I'd like you to service me, Ms.Granger...would you like that?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide with fear...finally he struck fear in the little wench. She was shaking her head furiously or trying to. "No? I don't see why not...I am a decent looking man to say the least, very verile...and I can gaurantee that I will most likely last much longer than those boys you ran around with. I'm quite sure you're no longer a virgin..which is a shame really. But there is a good way to find out..."

He kept her body pinned as he pulled his one glove off with his teeth, and then crept his hand down her pants. Hermoine was bucking, this wasn't happening! She squeezed her eyes tigtly shut, trying to will this from happening. She felt his fingers creep inside her and then heard him say, "no...but you are quite tight, which will feel just as nice. I'm not a small man...Narcissa complained sometimes that I was just a tad too big, but she didn't complain when we got started"

How vulger could he get!

There were voices. Someone else was coming up the private trail and Lucius let go but silenced her again with his mouth, then he said, "you need to keep quiet about our little meeting, lest something happen to your friends. I know you're right about me, I haven't changed much, and I have no intention on changing...the only difference now is that I'm not going to kill you. Not because I can't, but because I don't want to. Strange isn't it?"

"Let me go," she looked down.

"I'll let you go...for now," Lucius turned and apparated out of the park.

* * *

Hermione apparated home and took a shower, she felt dirty. Pressing on the bruise he left...actually it was a welt, she winced in pain. She stepped out of the shower and tried to use an ointment for such pains, but it wasn't working? This didn't make sense, why wasn't the ointment working? What did he do? There was no sign of it fading! There was this deep sigh of hopelessness as Hermione walked to the bed and pulled out the picture she loved so much. Harry had taken others, ones with all three of them, ones with just her, and ones with just him, which she also kept...ones she didn't give to Ginny. But this one, the one he took after they made love for the first time, it was so special to her.

"Why did you leave me alone, Harry?" her lip trembled and her heart fell so low she couldn't breathe. "I've tried to be strong, tried to move on...but I just can't seem to. I wish I could be as resiliant as Ginny, but she wasn't there when you died...she didn't see it, she wasn't there for your last breath, how you told me that you loved me. When the light faded from your eyes! And now, I have the very devil after me...if you were here, I wouldn't be alone...I wouldn't feel so helpless...I feel so lost without you, and I know I'm being weak!"

By now she was sobbing. She was no longer the Hermione Granger that faught Voldemort bravely by Harry's side, and realized what she needed to do. Leave. The old Hermione would have stayed and faught the evil Lucius Malfoy, even gathered her friends and gone to the Ministry. But not now. Hermione had lost faith in the Ministry, without the- boy-who-lived being their conscience, it seemed they had slipped back into their old ways of taking money from rich Death Eaters such as Lucius Malfoy, and looked the other way. Being near Diagon Alley had too many memories of Harry anyway, and in order to let go completely, she felt she had to leave, maybe rebuild herself again, gain her strength...and get away from the man who practically assaulted her today. Hermione had no wish to stick around and find out he had in mind for later on.

With that, she took out a piece of parchment and wrote her resignation to the company that she would hand Greg first thing Monday morning. It was Saturday now, so she had plenty of time to get boxes and start packing. She decided to go live at her parent's home for a while...luckily they weren't killed there, so there would be no depressing aura for her to feel, she'd only been avoiding it because it had too many happy memories of them, but right now, she'd rather deal with the happy memories of her parents, then those of Harry...after all, she'd come to terms with their deaths a long time ago.

With the resignation signed and sealed, Hermione left to buy and find packing boxes, and found them with no problem. She stopped by the landlord's place and let her know that she'd be leaving next week, the lady was nice enough and said she was sad to see her go because Hermione was such a good tenant. They hugged each other and Hermione started to pack everything and arranged for storage for her furniture. The pictures. She put them in a special envelope and put them in her purse.

Now she was stopping by the burrow to say goodbye. It wasn't forever and she would still come by once in a while, just not as often.

"But why...?" Ron looked at her. "Is it because I kept pressuring you for marriage? I promise I won't do that anymore!"

"This has nothing to do with you, I just...I just need to sort some things out. Reflect on my own for a while"

Ginny stepped forward and hugged her, "I know sweetheart. You've had the hardest time, more than all of us...you saw Harry die, Ron wasn't around because he was with Remus fighting off the other Death Eaters and I was here because Harry didn't want me to go." Hermione winced. "So, I know it had to be aweful seeing him like that..." Hermione only nodded.

"Yes, well," Hermione cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the lump that was starting to form. "I have a picture I found for you..." She pulled out one of her, Ron, and Harry, looking rather ragged but they were laughing at something...Ginny took it and looked so...sullen.

"Thank you," she said softly.  
"You're welcome, Ginny," Hermione gave her that one picture with all three of them...it was the least she could do. But she never did give her Harry's wand, she told Ginny that it had been lost. The truth was...Hermione kept it safe and locked away in a box with his pictures. She felt so pathetic and like a bad friend, but Hermione felt it was more her right than Ginny's to have it. Harry had told Hermione that after it was all over...he wanted them to get married. At first she thought that he was just being over-emotional because everything had gotten so intense, but he was very sincere and took offense when Hermione didn't believe him.

They had dinner and laughed, it had been a long time since they all sincerely laughed together. It felt good.

Hermione left late, but stayed up most of the night packing, she was more than eager to leave her place of sullen memories. Even though she would regret saying good bye to Greg, he was a good friend, he wanted more but she just didn't feel it was time for her. She had realized that in a short amount of time, she had literally packed almost everything...it was 2 a.m. and her eyes were drooping.

* * *

Lucius had plans for Hermione, she was a pretty thing and sensed a great deal of power in her...untapped of course. He wanted to play with her and needed a substitute for a pure-blood female, at least until the pure-blood females would agree to see him. She was easy to play, he knew what he did would infuriate her, but she would stay in that company, just to spite him and that's what he was counting on...and he would play that little pawn until she fufilled her purpose. Besides, it would look good to the Ministry if he was seen with her...the war hero, excellerating his place in society.

* * *

Hermione felt very good about her decision and felt also that she might really be on the road to recovery. She had to sort everything out for herself, become stronger, become herself again.

Greg looked at the letter, "but Hermione, you can't do this to me...you're the best I have and we need you around here!"

"You mean you need someone to do all the presentations properly," she joked.

"That too," he grinned. "It's just...I'll miss you in general."

Hermione sighed, "I know...but I told you before, Greg, I'm just not ready."

"Who was it? You never did tell me who you were involved with."

"I don't think it matters, he was very special to me and we even planned to be married...but...the war took a lot of lives, so.."

"Alright, I get it. But you know you have a job here if you want to come back."

"Thank you."

The week went easy for Hermione, she didn't have to attend any meetings, especially the two board meetings that were called, she was sure that Mr. Malfoy would be there...the mark he made, it barely faded. Hermione unconsciously put her hand over it.

Greg talked with the other board members, on the second meeting Lucius came up to him and wanted to know where Ms. Granger was?

"Oh, she's actually in her office. She'll be leaving us tomorrow. Last day."

"WHAT?" he narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, came in and told me that she needed to leave, needed time to reflect...she deserves that, been through quite a bit."

Lucius left immediately...it was almost 5 o'clock.

* * *

Hermione packed the rest of her things. It was so strange to look around and find her office bare, but she reminded herself again that this was what needed to happen, and knew in her heart it was the right thing to do. Where she was going, she didn't know...her path was uncertain, but there was something exciting about that.

She wandered aimlessly to the lift, her mind some place else. Hermione got in and when she turned, she saw Lucius Malfoy coming down the hall at her at a fast pace, she quickly pressed the botton to close the doors and they shut just as he was about to put his cane out to stop them.

Hermione looked at the floors going down, "come on, hurry up." Finally she reached her floor, and got out of the building as soon as possible.

Lucius took the other lift and nearly caught her as she left the building, "doesn't matter...I know where you live." 


	3. Defiance

**Thanks for the reviews!**

Chapter 3

Hermione sighed in relief when she got home, she was not in the mood to deal with him after a perfect day. She ordered out some chinese food and was reading a nice book when a knock came to the door. Putting her book off to the side and assuming it was the landlord, she grabbed her last rent check and headed to the door...but when she opened it, her eyes widened in fear and immediately she started to slam the door shut, but Lucius placed his foot in the door and shoved it open with great force, causing Hermione to fall back hard and practically slid across the floor and hit her head.

Lucius locked the door behind him and stood over Hermione as she tried to push herself up, dazed from the blow to her head. "Think you're going somewhere Ms. Granger?" He looked around and saw the boxes labeled and ready to move.

She shook her head, "as a matter of fact, yes...I am. What do you want! How dare you come busting into my flat like this, I should call the Aurors!"

He bent down and picked her up, holding her upper arms. "Tell me...has that mark faded yet?" She looked at him confused. "Not even with the cream, does it? And it won't"

"Why?" Hermione hissed.

"Let's just say there is something I put in my body that makes it last a while. For some reason though, you're not taking it's meaning seriously. I told you that you aren't getting away from me...and I meant it."

"I have no need to take YOUR mark seriously, you don't have any control over me, Mr. Malfoy!"

He narrowed his eyes, "is that what you think my dear little mudblood?" Lucius hovered over her and caressed her face with his large hand and then glanced over to the bed. Hermione saw what he was looking at and started to panic. He grabbed her hair then and smashed his mouth over her's, waving his wand to put a silencing charm over the flat. Wrapping his arms around her body in a grip so tight she could hardly breath, he whispered, "I will have control over you, and you will listen to me...do I make my myself clear?"

"Get away from me!"

Lucius only chuckled and started devouring her neck with his lips. She was kicking but he paid no mind, he was interested in one thing right now and no amount of protest from this little girl was going to stop him. Lucius took his hand and tore down her blouse, she squealed and winced as he then yanked down her bra and sucked vigerously on her breasts, groaning in enjoyment.

"Stop this, please," she begged, but she found herself not really meaning it. For some reason, and Hermione didn't know why, but she was enjoying it. It had been a long while since...

He could tell the reluctance in her voice and smiled to himself. Lucius removed her skirt, then carried her to the bed, his little mudblood was resisting less and less now and it was either out of fear or desire...but he really didn't care which. It was suprisingly gentle how he laid her on the bed, and even as she tried to get away, he only grabbed her ankles and slid her back into place as he undressed. Hermione was shaking, which he found appealing as he took the rest of her clothing off. She blushed at the sight of Lucius, he was built like a God and really didn't know how to act towards him. It was then that he knew she was still inexperienced, and for fun he slammed his hands by her head to scare her.

Grinning, he asked, "so, how many lovers have you had?"

"I don't think that's any of your businss, Mr. Malfoy!" Hermione hissed. Though it felt wierd calling him Mr. Malfoy now.

He came closer, "tell me...I think I have a right to know how chaste you are."

She narrowed her eyes, he did not have a right to know! She looked away, "one."

"One other? Why, you're practically still a virgin...that's good," Lucius forced her to look at him as he kissed her, he still had a way of holding onto her where she couldn't move. He moved further and further down until he was at her core, where he licked and sucked expertly. All she could do was squirm, this was never done to her and her body was reacting on it's own. Hermione was trying not to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was pleasing her, but her wetness betrayed her and so did her breathing.

Once he got her to near climax, he came back up and plunged into her, kissing her and letting her taste herself. Hermione gasped as he thrusted. "Don't worry, girl. You'll be alright."

She didn't know how to take it, he should be hurting her but he wasn't, he was gentle yet firm and he was...good at it. Hermione's mind was reeling, why did he want her all of a sudden? Even though the war ended, they were still enemies. She was trying to fight it, but her body wasn't letting her and suddenly a wave of pleasure came that caused her to scream out, a wave of pleasure that she hadn't felt in a long time.

Lucius smiled to himself, she came almost instantly. He was taking his time though, his body wanted the pent up frustration over with, but he could control it well enough so that she would know his capability as a lover. Everyone knew if you could shag a woman right...she was yours forever. The mudblood was going to serve her purpose. Finally after she came twice more, he let loose his own climax and howled at how good he felt. Who knew a mudblood could hold such pleasure?

He collapsed softly on her, nuzzling her, his way of thanking her for pleasuring him. Hermione slid out from under him and took a sheet with her, looking out the window in a sullen mood...guilt set in, confusion, and feelings of remorse as if she had cheated on Harry, perhaps it was worse than that...she slept with a man that was Harry's sworn enemy. Stupid. She didn't even know what happened. It started out as a rape-type situation to shagging each other's brains out. Well, at least the tension was gone.

"You should leave, Mr. Malfoy," her voice was flat.

The pawn wasn't moving in the direction he'd like, "I will leave when I'm ready. Perhaps I can help you unpack your things." Lucius put his hands behind his head.

"No. Just leave, this was a mistake...I don't even know what this was or how it happened. But you need to go..." Lucius put his boxers on, and at first Hermione thought he was getting dressed and finally going to do what she asked, she thought wrong.

He put his arms around her tightly and lifted her off her feet, she squeaked again and was thrown on the bed like a rag doll. Hermione covered herself back up quickly and watched Lucius pace back and forth, almost strutting, "do you know what that mark on your neck is?"

"Basically a 'hickey' from what I can tell, and a stubborn one at that!" she spat.

"A rediculous muggle term that doesn't even remotely apply to what it is. It is a mark of property, Ms. Granger, you can look it up if you like, has an interesting history...it means that a pure-blood has claimed you, and anyone else that is a pure-blood will know what it is as well. Back in the day when more of my kind were prominant...people like...yourself were viewed as, how can I kindly put this...? Free range, there was no need to set up marriage, we just took someone like you and didn't have to marry them. But in order to make sure no one else had their way with you, we had to administer something more physical, a warning of sorts, so a 'love-bite' was established."

Hermione couldn't be more offended if he had danced on Harry's grave, "so you mean to tell me that if someone like YOU chose not to marry some one like me...we were..."

"I prefer the term concubine, or if you'd like...mistress?"

"Get out! Why would you even consider it! We were enemies!"

"That doesn't mean I don't find you appealing," Lucius grinned.

"GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!"

He grabbed his clothing and got dressed, "I want these things unpacked, you aren't leaving, you are staying where I want you...and if you try to leave...I'll find you. And believe me, you don't want me angry, Ms. Granger." Lucius left her.

* * *

Hermione took a shower and scrubbed herself raw while she sobbed, she was as bad as she could have been. How in the hell did this happen? Everything was fine a few weeks ago! There was no indication that he would even be remotely interested in someone like herself...desperation, that's what it had to be. He was just a horny older man...or a pathetic one. Still, she knew well enough that Lucius Malfoy didn't do anything unless there was something behind it. Hermione figured that this had to be some kind of game, and she would take no part in a game. She was still leaving, good luck finding her! She'd make her house unplottable...there was no way he knew where her parents lived, where her house was.

But now her curiousity was at it's peak. The movers would be here early, but she still had a few hours before bedtime, and the library wasn't closed yet. She got dressed and scowered the shelves and found a book called, 'The old traditions of pure-blood life'. Hermione flipped through it and found the chapter called 'the mark'. It read;

_In the olden days of kings and queens, pure-bloods ruled the lands over the common people. Because marriages were often arranged and unsatisfactory, it was not uncommon for a pure-blood male to find another, often a muggleborn or half-breed female to take in as a concubine or mistress. Half-breeds had more of a choice depending on the social status of the family, but muggleborns could be taken whether or not the family approved. To ensure that no other would take interest in her, the pure-blood put a literal love-bite on the woman that simply did not fade for months. It is not documented on how this was started, what is known that the pure-bloods drank a specific tea that caused the effect. If the pure-blood 'bit' his mistress or concubine three times, the effect was permanent and therefore they were considered to be, in a way, comitted. This would happen in cases where the pure-blood and muggleborn/half-breed were actually in love, but the pure-blood was already in an arranged marriage. If the pure-blood male did truly want his pure-blood bride, he could do the same, but it was a rare occurance._

Hermione closed the book. "You've got to be bloody kidding me," she sighed outloud. She sat back and tried to understand how she even got into this mess. Hermione walked back to her flat, shaking her head...it was a dream, a bad one. She stopped by a coffee shop and decided to get some coffee, not noticing that the 'mark' was showing...someone standing next to her was staring at it. When she felt someone's eyes on her, she looked up...it was a male, and from what it looked like and the way he was dressed, a pure-blood.

She looked up and the older man pardoned himself, he didn't mean to be rude, "I'm sorry...it's just I didn't think they did that anymore."

Hermione blushed, paid for her coffee and ran home, she was leaving first thing in the morning. 'Mental note, where turtle necks for the next few months,' she thought...it was getting colder anyway.

* * *

6 a.m. the magical transports arrived to store her things, and within just a few minutes her apartment was completely cleared. Hermione looked around for a moment, she could have afforded a bigger and nicer place, but this place felt the proper place to mourn Harry. It was simple but quaint, homey. But now it was time to move on, and ironically, Lucius Malfoy helped her see that. Without him, she probably would have stayed here and even died of a broken heart...there were days she wished she truly could, but no, Harry would be so mad at her if she did that.

She looked down and around, making sure everything was tidy and neat, tracing her hands over the kitchen counters and left.

* * *

Lucius walked down the street around 8 a.m. He had decided to pay his little mudblood a visit before she had to be at work. Partly to make sure she was unpacked and partly to tell her he was taking her shopping after work, he would not be seen with her walking around in lower grade clothing. If she was going to be with him in society, she had to dress accordingly.

When he came to her flat, the door was slightly ajar and when he opened it, he found a slightly plump and dark haired woman standing there, looking around. Lucius noticed how empty the little flat was and his temper started to flare, "WHERE is Ms. Granger?"

The woman turned around startled, "I'm sorry...you scared me. May I help you?"

"WHERE IS MISS GRANGER?"

"Oh...are you one of her friends? I'm afraid she's left this morning and she didn't leave a forwarding address. She said she'd contact everyone when she was settled," the woman smiled, but her face fell when she saw how angry the blonde man was getting. She excused herself quickly.

"She defied me," he hissed.

* * *

Hermione sat on the train, waiting for it to leave. Looking up from her book for a moment, she saw the people running around trying to get to their places to board, the steam from the engines poured through the sky like little white cotton balls...everything was okay now, she was safe, and she was going home.

But then out of the corner of her eye, there he was...looking for her. He had to know she was leaving town, the train was the main way out... "SHIT!" she hissed underneath her breath. He tried to get on it, but the conductor wouldn't let him, saying it was too late to board. Hermione saw Lucius yell, but it didn't work...but then he made eye contact with her, and his very look could have bore a whole through solid steel.

He mouthed to her, "GET OFF THE TRAIN." Lucius knew very well he couldn't apparate in, they had security measures for things like that, so all he could do was demand.

Hermione shook her head, she shouldn't be scared of him, she was protected...but for some reason, just now, she was.

He mouthed it again as he pointed down to the platform, his teeth gritted, "GET. OFF. THE. TRAIN...NOW."

She still shook her head and his look got even colder. Lucius marched towards her window, "get off the train!" Hermione was ignoring him. "GET OFF THE BLOODY TRAIN!" he roared.

People were starting to look.

It started to move and soon she was leaving him behind, but not before he mouth, "I'LL FIND YOU."

Hermione sat back and whispered to herself, "no, you won't." She knew she was possibly underestimating him...but she would do everything in her power to keep herself away from him. She had been through so much already, he would only hurt her more and that's not what she needed now.

* * *

Lucius glared at the train that held his property in it. He wished it was like in the days of his great great grandfather, where he could command the conductor to look for the muggleborn with 'the mark' on her and bring her to him. But no. This was present day and everyone had equal rights. She underestimated him...she wasn't getting away, and his possessiveness was only increased and provoked when the little mudblood shook her head at him. She was his ticket back to an easier life, and especially for sexual pleasure, he had some very strong appetites that needed to be fed and she was denying that...not wise. But she was also pretty to look at, he liked admiring her beauty and touching the flawless skin...she was unique and very smart, a good companion for himself.

No. His little mudblood was going nowhere. Lucius stopped one of the attendants on the platform, "where is this train going to?"

"Muggle London first, sir."

Her parents were muggles... Yes. He'd find her. 


	4. Eduardo's School of Dance

Chapter 4

Finally she was home.

Hermione looked around the two story house, it was quaint, but large enough for a family of four or five. Her parents had thought about having another child...but that never happened. She looked around the rooms, the kitchen where she had many happy breakfasts with her mom and dad, Christmas in the living room, birthdays in the dining room...it was all gone now. Still, a feeling of warmth set over Hermione, she was home and that was important.

Hermione had found a secret keeper, an old friend, niether Ginny or Ron. She would tell them later where she was at, but she wouldn't tell them why the place was unplottable. The run in with Lucius would set Ron into a rampage...then it would most likely get out that they had slept together, and that alone would bring shame to her, to her reputation, to the memory of Harry and everything they stood for.

Lucius entered her mind, why was he so adiment on keeping her? Then she thought that maybe, just maybe, it would look good for him to have one of the little war heroes dangling on his arm, wouldn't doubt it one bit. But why 'claim' her? Why not just ask her out on a date? Who knew the reasoning of a madman.

Hermione took the master bedroom. It was okay now, she could walk through it without crying and removed all the coverings over the furniture. The electricity had been turned on so she went and made some tea...she needed to go grocery shopping. There were so many things she actually wanted to do differently, as before, she wanted to rebuild herself into someone new. Become stronger, become the old Hermione that Harry knew...but with a few upgrades. So, she went to the grocery store as planned.

It was eventful, Hermione kept forgetting they didn't have certain things in the muggle world that they did in the wizarding world, but adjusted rather quickly. Half of her money was transferred over to muggle money, so there were no worries about exchange...not that muggles knew what a galleon was. Hermione did notice something on the bulletin board...it was for dancing lessons. Remembering how Harry liked to pretend to dance with her, a smile came across her lips and grabbed one of the little cards, she did like to dance after all...even though she was bad at it, but all the more reason to take the blasted lessons.

After a cart full of groceries and driving, which was also a bit of a disaster because she was so used to apparating, she put everything away and turned on the television and then ordered a pizza, too tired to actually MAKE anything. It was so quiet here, it was then she sort of missed her apartment near Diagon Alley, you could always hear the people and the cafes, but here it was quiet...which was okay too, she'd get used to it. But now it was time for bed.

The dreams...always, they were always so terrible:

_The cackling, terrible cackling..."NO HARRY!"_

"So you think you'll win, POTTER! I know your little mudblood means the most to you...AVADA KADAVERA!"

Harry shouted the same spell at Voldemort, which hit him square in the chest and ran in front of Hermione, taking the blow..."NOOOO! NOOO! NO! NO! NO!" she ran to his side, holding up his head, tears streaming uncontrollably... "YOU IDIOT, NO!"

"I...I love you, Hermione...my..'mione."

"NOOO!"

Hermione shot up in her bed crying..., "why...why...I thought I'd stop having these dreams! What, did I have christen the place with them!" She got up and wiped her face, all the old feelings came back, she had to do something to release all this pain, forget. It was time for breakfast and she went downstairs in a horrid mood...wondering if she could eat in the first place. Then she saw the card she'd put on the refrigerator.

'Eduardo's School of Dance'

She called the number and found out that the classes were reasonable for five nights a week, Hermione wanted to do ballroom dancing and that was not a problem. They had many champions come from this school that had danced in many world competitions. She wasn't really interested in that, but it was good exercise and didn't want to expose herself too much in case Malfoy was really looking for her. The first class was tonight at 6 p.m...she'd be there.

* * *

He changed his clothing into expensive muggle clothing, not very well being able to search for her dressed in his robes. When Lucius got a hold of her, she was going to get a punishment of a lifetime...but where to start? He didn't have much of an idea where to start, just the general area of where he heard where her parents came from, and that is where he would look first.

* * *

Standing there in the recommended clothing, a loose fitting dress, comfortable flats or heels, Hermione looked around nervously entering the large room. Appearently she was the first to arrive except for a man with black hair and green eyes...who looked a lot like Harry. 'Oh my God!' she thought. 'I have to leave...'

But as she did, the man said, "excuse me, are you our new addition?" He said it rather snide like Lucius would say it...plus, he looked down his nose at her, cocking his eyebrow.

'Nevermind...nothing LIKE Harry,' Hermione thought harshly. "Yes, I'm Hermione Granger...nice to meet you," she put out her hand, only for him to just look at it...she put her arm back down. 'Jackass!' she thought as she glared at him, at first it seemed like a staring match, until they were interupted.

"ERIC! Can't you be nice to my new students!" Another man came out that looked like this 'Eric' person, "I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse my son...he's won quite few competitions and well, he can be...challenging."

"Funny, I was thinking more of...," Hermione stopped when Eric glared at her. "Sorry...uh, I'm Hermione Granger," this time the older gentleman took her hand.

"My name is Eduardo, this is your first time ballroom dancing, yes?"

"Yes...I'm afraid I'm rather clumsy...I've done waltzes before...but not enough practice."

"EH, we will change that," Eduardo had a very nice quality about him, warm, father-like, and unlike his son, friendly. He was a hansome dark headed man, clearly italian based on his accent...his son was brought up here in England, his mother being English.

"Am I the only student?"

"No...but for today, yes. We have quite a few students who are attending a competition today. So, you have learned a few waltzes?"

"Erm...," what was she going to say, 'yes, I learned in the wizarding world...but they don't apply the muggle'? "Well...they're really old fashioned, um, probably not what you're used to."

"Ms. Granger, my father has and knows every dance under the sun, I hardly doubt there's nothing you can do that he doesn't know!" Eric sneered.

"ERIC! I'm sorry...he can be a bit prideful. Well, why don't we go ahead, show me what you know."

"O..okay," Hermone felt uncomfortable to say the least, poor Eduardo had no idea what she was doing, and though he recognized some parts of the wizarding waltzes, and was slightly amused by them, he had to confess...it was new. "I'm sorry...I feel embarrassed."

"But this is good!"

"It is?" now she was confused.

"I've been looking for something new to add to the competitions, new steps...ah! You are a heaven sent!" Eduardo kissed her on both her cheeks.

Hermione blushed, "oh...th..thank you?" She cringed when she saw Eric's face, he looked annoyed.

"Yes...we will work on those too, but first, we teach you the basic ones here. Eric, take your position."

Eric huffed and walked over to her, nearly jerking her waist when he held it and had a hard grip on her hand, what did she do? Every chance he got, he seemed to insult her, calling her 'clumsy' and 'sloppy', telling her to 'straighten up!', 'watch your footing..' By the time he was done with her, she wanted to cry.

Eduardo came up, "I am sorry if my son was a little rough...but he makes for good partner because of it. So don't take it personally."

Hermione looked up and smiled a little, "Alright..." She hugged herself and looked down.

"We will see you tomorrow, yes?"

She nodded. Yes, she would be back...Hermione wasn't going to give that prat the satisfaction of thinking she couldn't cut it...JERK! She grabbed her bag and left.

Eduardo turned to Eric, "why did you have to be so rough with her! May I remind you that this studio and our competitive dancing puts food in your mouth!"

"I couldn't help it, she was clumsy, her footing was all wrong...and she what was with that new waltz, plus...her dress was too revealing, too low cut!"

"AH...I see."

"What?" Eric looked flustered.

"You like her," Eduardo shook his finger at him.

"I...I DO NOT!" he was blushing.

"Yes you do...you're blushing. Why you so embarrassed about liking a pretty girl...pretty girl, nice dancing frame, polite, sweet...smart."

"How do you know she's smart?"

"Because...she not like you very much," Eduardo smiled as his son glared. "Too many women flock around you because of your good looks, not willing to get to know the real you...but I bet SHE could knock down those walls of yours. You're so used to the attention, and when she agreed with ME about you being difficult and prideful, you hated it. She is what...no more than twenty? You are twenty-five...good age for you to start settling down...I think she's arrived at the right time."

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to pick a wife for me," Eric huffed.

"What..and what are you going to do? Run around with those little dancer girls that have nothing to offer! They don't think, much less are good for anything...pretty, yes, good for wife...no. The last one you had, I couldn't stand! She talked too much, was rude to your mother and myself, ah...I praised GOD when you two seperated," he put his hands to the heavens as if worshipping the ceiling. "This one I like, and you know when I kiss on the cheeks...I like the person, that's why you also got irritated...you like her, I like her, God forbid we agree on something!"

The next class, she showed up, and Eduardo elbowed Eric, "you see, she carries book about dancing...wants to understand it, technical minded, all we need to add is grace...I told you, she is smart."

Eric rolled his eyes and then glared at Hermione, Hermione looked at him and then looked away...his eyes were far more intense then Harry's. She was choosing to ignore him and talked with some of the girls. He was so angry at her for some reason, especially when she chose to ignore him, his eyes fell on her beautiful swan-like neck and creamy skin, her hair up in curly tendrils...suddenly, it started to get very warm in the room.

"Alright, everyone...pick your partners," Eduardo smiled.

Eric walked towards Hermione, she glanced up and saw him but she was immediately grabbed by one of their other students, John. Hermione saw him! He knew she did! Why...no one EVER refused to partner with HIM! Eric was balling up his fists...he was even angrier now, but then he felt a feminine hand on his arm, "I'll dance with you, Eric."

It was the pretty blonde that had been going there for a while, he excepted. Meanwhile he watched as John made Hermione laugh, John made her smile, John danced with her kindly and corrected her steps as they went...Hermione was having fun with John. He tried to focus on the pretty blonde who was batting her eyes at him, holding him close...but he wasn't interested. He liked blondes, why would he be interested in a curly haired brunette who was clumsy!

Finally the practice ended, John was trying to get her number, "oh, thank you but I'm just not seeing anyone right now...I have a lot going on." Eric nearly purred when he heard this and watched as she gathered her things.

Coming up to her he said, "you know...John is not that advanced himself."

"I know, he told me he probably wasn't much better, but he was nice," she quipped.

"And you're saying I'm not."

"I'm not answering that question...besides, it's not like your father said that I SHOULD dance with you, he said 'pick your partners' and I did. Fair enough?" Hermione turned and walked off.

Eric was fuming.He decided to take a walk, it was getting colder now. Maybe that would clear his head. Hermione didn't respond to him like the other women, they always came to him...and now this slip of a girl was driving him nuts. Eric continued to walk and suddenly saw her in a cafe, reading and sipping coffee. Her hair was tossled when it wasn't up...but she smiled sincerely at the waitress, and also looked lonely.

Hermione was reading about the waltzes she was learning, where they came from, what the technical aspect of it was, so she could at least get her footing right, when she heard a male voice go, "well...look who's here also." It was Eric, she sighed.

"Yes. I am."

And without any invitation, he sat down in front of her with his own cup of coffee, "and what are you reading?"

Hermione sighed again, "learning about the waltzes."

"You know that's no substitute for talent...," Eric sipped his coffee again...he even did that in a snobbish manner.

"I realize that, there are some people who can get the technical aspect down, but not the grace."

"Mm, kind of like what I noticed with you," he looked up when she slammed her book shut.

"Do you just NOT want me to go to your school? If so, just say the word and I'll leave, okay? There are a dozen other dancing studios."

Hermione had not noticed that Eric had stretched out his legs so that her's were inbetween his, and that his hand was dangerously close to her one hand that was holding the book.

"But none as good as ours."

"Then what do you want, why do you keep insulting me...? Did I do something to you? I'm just doing this for exercise, I'm not looking to be the next Ginger Rogers, okay!" She went to leave but his leg was in the way, her calves touched his. "Do you mind?"

"What?" he pretended not to notice.

"Your LEG is in the way," she hissed.

"Is it? I'm sorry," Eric pulled his leg back and let her go. "You don't have to go, I AM leaving here in a few minutes."

"That's okay, you can gave the seat ALL to yourself." Hermione packed up her things, "to think, I moved here to get AWAY from stress."

Eric watched as she left, trying to get a good idea of where she lived by watching what direction she headed. He didn't understand why he was being mean to her either. Normally when he wanted a woman, or she wanted him...which was how it usually went, he was kind to her as a man should be. But something about Hermione caused him to want to just...the only word he could think of was 'dominate' or make her 'submissive' to him.

She had a wild beauty about her that he wanted to tame and yet, he couldn't seem to bring himself to say it...it was more than just lust. When he first saw her, he thought she was beautiful...like an angel. And yet he was frightened of it too...he couldn't stand the fact that a woman would make HIM feel that way, when it was the women who felt that way about him! Then she ignored him and thought he was terrible, he didn't want her to think that about him, but the more she resisted him, the more he couldn't help it. If she would just give into him... Sure, he was mean to the new students the first time, but not over and over again...now, Hermione thought he hated her and it was the complete opposite.


	5. Stubborn Revelations

Chapter 5

After a few weeks, Hermione had gotten much better at dancing. John was a good partner...once he stopped asking her out. But once in a while, Eric would make her dance with him, actually, he did this a few times a week and literally forced her out of John's arms and into his. He said it was because John wasn't doing certain moves right, and that John needed to pair up with another girl who had more experience and not teach Hermione bad habits. She personally didn't care and thought that Eric was being a prat. Eduardo would just sigh in exasperation and shake his head. They talked in private again...

"Why you treat her so roughly, hah? You like this girl...yet, you criticize everything she do! You think I won your mother by treating her badly, no, I chase after her like bull, but gentle...gentle. A woman is soft and thinks differently than a man...I know you know this. You are so used to the women coming to you, well, a real woman is not so impressed by looks or money, a real woman, a good woman is impressed with how you treat her and care of her, they are like fresh roses that need to be tended to daily...otherwise they wilt. How do you think I won your mother? You see how beautiful she is, a ballet dancer! She could have had any man she wanted and she choose me...! Quit being so prideful..."

He was driving his son insane, yet Eric knew his father was right. She was also very quiet, never really talked much about herself, Hermione had become a mystery to him, one that needed to be uncovered. She was special and he knew it. Despite her quiet demeanor, she had made good friends with some of the other girls in the class, all except the pretty blonde who absolutely hated her ever since Eric chose Hermione over her in a little dancing party the school had. Hermione didn't even want to, but Eric made her anyway.

Eric decided that it was time for a 'private lesson', so he told Hermione to stay behind because he wanted to correct some things. She only sighed and gave in, otherwise there would probably be hell to pay and she didn't need anymore problems, though lately he'd been nicer. He was dancing with her closely and as usual, corrected her steps, and as he dipped her he said, "you have to think of it like sex, Hermone...moving to the rythm of your partner's body." He grinned when he saw her reaction.

She blushed...speaking of which, she hadn't had any in a while and Eric was a very attractive man, a male whore from what she heard, but an attractive man none the less. He spun Hermione around and then when he lifted her, he kept her there and kissed her hard on the mouth, his hand clamped on her neck so she couldn't move. Hermione didn't know what to do, her eyes were wide with suprise and uncertainty...he was a good kisser at least.

Finally after a moment of confusion, Hermione stuggled to get free and pushed herself back, "what...what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing, I'm kissing you!" Eric was infuriated, why was she resisting him? He never had a problem before, he could seduce a married woman!

"I realize that, but why?"

"Because...I...I care for you," there, he said it.

"CARE FOR ME? You...you...spent all this time barrating and attacking me! And that's your idea of caring for me...I shutter to see what hate is!"

"I didn't know how to express it...you challenge everything I'm used to, I'm sorry I mistreated you!"

Hermione crossed her arms and sighed, "well thank you for that at least. But your reputation is a little too much for me."

"My reputation?" Eric cringed, yes, he did have a bad one...but he never cheated on any of the girls he was with, he just liked to have fun with them...he was young...why not? But now he felt guilty, why should he though, he didn't know her then!

"Yes, your reputation," Hermione looked at him as if he were stupid. "I heard, you like...dancers, you sometimes date the girls in the school and even break their hearts and quite frankly...I don't need to have my heart broken, it's just beginning to mend from...from things that have recently happened. So, even though I'm flattered, I don't need you to make my situation worse by eventually dumping me for another because you get bored. Because to be honest with you, I'm a boring person...I read a lot...and...I'm just...," she suddenly realized that Eric had gotten very close to her and was caressing her arm.

"I'm not as bad as they say. I left one girl because she cheated on me, I left another because she was using me to win competitions, and the other, it was agreed upon that it was just a fling...the others were just scourned because I refused to go out with them. Believe it or not, I try not to date my father's students...but...you're special, Hermione," Eric said it softly and he lifted her face to meet his eyes.

"There's just a lot about me you don't know and I'm afraid...you may not like it," what would his reaction be if he knew she was a witch? That's why you tried to stay with your own kind, dating a muggle could be very...complicated.

"There is nothing about you I wouldn't like."

"You don't know that, in the beginning everything is good...but, you find things, things you didn't know. Look, I should go...give me time, please?"

Eric sighed, he so wanted to take her home tonight, love her, and then after a month or so, make her as his bride-to-be...but she was being difficult. Again. "Alright...I will give you SOME time, but not long to decide what you need to do." He tried to go in for another kiss but Hermione avoided it and hugged him instead, Eric only sighed and hugged her back.

* * *

... Lucius finally spotted her and and quite by accident. He was sitting at the cafe in the dark corner when he saw a lovely young woman come in, her hair up in a large bun with curly tendrils, her form was strong and lean, her legs...they were amazing. The dress and heels she wore were clearly those of a dancer, then he saw her face...it was Hermione! He overheard the conversation between her and the waitress, she was clearly a regular. The waitress asked if dance class was well and she nodded, then brought her 'usual', which consisted of a grilled portabello mushroom salad and tea...no wonder she'd gotten so thin, she barely ate! But in dancing, it was recommended that the females be petite...she was taking lessons.

He followed her, Lucius was going to find out where she lived, trying to find it on his own was rather hard right now...Hermione was clever, making the house unplottable...but there was a little loop hole, if he followed her, he could figure out the address on his own and see it, the only thing left was to try and break the apparation charms. Until then, he'd follow her and find out where she went to school and perhaps join...he wanted to see her face when he showed up.

Hermione's cell phone rang, "oh...Eric? Um...Hi..how did you get my...? Oh, the application, right..."

Lucius fumed, who was Eric?

"No...I'm fine, I just stopped at the cafe. Dinner? I...well..."

What the hell!

"No, I appreciate the offer...you...I...you sure are persistant!" He heard the man's laughter over the phone. She sighed, "alright...I'll meet you there. 8 o'clock tomorrow? Fine. Okay, bye."

He was going to kill whoever it was she was meeting, he followed her, 'that little whore! How dare she...knowing full well I'm trying to find her!' Lucius wanted to snatch her up right then and there, but no, he'd make her life a living hell first. She didn't listen to him and now his little dancer was going to pay.

* * *

... After Hermione got home, she sat by the kitchen window with some tea in her hand, thoughts of all kinds went through her mind, '...he's not Harry, Hermione. He looks like Harry, but he's really nothing like Harry and you can't confuse the two. He has no glasses, his hair isn't shaggy, somewhat long, but not shaggy...neat. You can't go out with him because he reminds you of Harry, remembered that, or you'll not only hurt yourself, but him too and you don't want that...maybe I should cancel? No...you have to move on. It's just a coincedence that he looks like Harry, you didn't expect him to...you just walked in and there he was. It's not your fault, it's like you picked him out of all the men you could have dated and said, 'he looks like Harry, I'll pick him!' No. It's just...everyone has a twin. And one day, you'll tell him everything that happened and how he does look like Harry and see what he says...Gods, I don't know if I can do this.'

There was a knock on the window, an owl from Ginny:

_Hey!_

I just wanted to owl you and see how you were doing. Is everything alright? I hope you aren't suffering too many flashbacks about your parents. It was hard when we came back to the burrow...you know, losing Percy and Dad. But, I wanted to know if you'd like me to come over some time next week, we could go out to lunch and do some shopping! Besides, you know I like the muggle clothing better there than the clothing here...you'd think with magic they'd come up with some better styles. Anyway, owl me as soon as you can.

Love, Ginny

Hermione smiled at the letter, Ginny was such a good friend, and that's why she couldn't tell her about Harry. She went upstairs and looked at Harry's photo, there was still sadness in her eyes, but not as much pain as before. This was good, soon she would look at this photo and smile and have good memories of him, not sad ones. "It's been a year Hermione, it's time to move on...just keep telling yourself that and you will."

* * *

... The next day there was no dance class and she spent the day shopping for a nice outfit for dinner tonight. Hermione couldn't believe she was shopping for new clothes for a date and sort of got into it, all the while being followed by Lucius who was ready to kill her. He knew what she was shopping for...to look nice for that little casanova who was going to get an Avada to the head if he even TRIED to get her into bed. Yet why would he want to be jealous over a mudblood? He should just let her have her fun and then he'd take her when he was ready... 'That's not the point!' he thought. 'I marked her!' But the mark was fading...it didn't last as long as he'd hoped, most likely because he just started drinking the tea again after he saw her the first time. Now he'd been drinking his tea every day and this time...the mark would stay on for quite a while.

* * *

... She met him at the restaurant in a lovely light pink outfit, a sleeveless blouse that went around her neck, with flowing pants, a necklace that had a little heart dangling freely, and here hair was up in a lovely bun. Eric sighed, her makeup was natural, not heavy like most of the girls that he dated. Hermione was as sweet looking as she could be.

Lucius was going to have a heart attack.

Eric eagerly took her side and they sat in a little corner talking and drinking wine, then ate their dinner, he fed her some of his and she did the same.

Lucius was going to kill the boy.

Then Eric went in to kiss Hermione, who shyly tilted her head and let him take her lips...

Lucius's breath was ragged, his temper was at it's height, the fire showing through his eyes. And strangely the boy looked familiar the closer he got...the boy...the boy looked like Harry Potter! Now it made sense! Hermione going to his grave and taking her time tending to it...her crying over it more than the others...the boy that she sat with now looked amazingly like him! A vicious grin went across his face, oh yes, he'd have fun with this.

After dinner he called her a taxi, he didn't want her to walk home late a night. Eric held her tightly and practically lifted her off her feet. "Why won't you come home with me?" he whispered.

"It's too soon for me...I'll explain everything sometime soon, I promise."

He put her in the taxi and watch it leave...so did Lucius and now he was headed for her home. He knew where it was and Lucius would spy on her, find out more about what exactly was going on...he couldn't apparate in...yet.

* * *

... Eric called his father..., "Hello?"

"I'm back from the date..."

"And..?"

"It went very well..."

"Good, good! By that you don't mean...uh..."

"No, we didn't."

"THANK THE HEAVENS! Finally, one you find one that doesn't spread her legs immediately!"

"Oh good grief! In that case, you'll love this...when I kissed her, I could tell she was...well, she hadn't been with many men, she didn't quite know how to do certain things..."

"OH! PRAISE THE SAINTS! A chaste future daughter-in-law!"

"I told you to stop trying to pick my wife!"

"You said yourself that she might be the one for you!"

"MIGHT BE...MIGHT BE!"

* * *

... Hermione wanted to cry, she felt guilty for enjoying herself, but it was rediculous to feel that way. So she took a shower and let the hot water flow around her muscles as she held herself. What was to happen now? What if Lucius did find her...Eric, he could be in danger? Why did he have to choose her, why not some other muggleborn? No, she wouldn't wish this on anyone. Hermione really...really wanted to go home with Eric, but what would he think of her? She was certain that the other girls did on the first date...not her though! If Eric cared for her, then he would show it the proper way and not try and get in her into bed so soon.

After the shower she came out in her towel and got her night clothes ready.

Lucius watched as she removed the towel...what a lovely view. Hermione put on her little panties and night top, then walked around, showing her beautiful legs. He found himself wanting to bust through the balcony windows and take her, but instead, his hand went down his pants, and soon found that he could only satisfy this urge manually...for now.


	6. Hermione's Truth

Chapter 6

Hermione kept an emotional distance from Eric, which frustrated him to no end. There were times when he thought he was so close and then she'd pull away. Why was she doing this? His father was right however, she was very smart, he figured that was why she was saying she was boring, but to him, it was refreshing. Yet, Hermione wouldn't give herself completely, making Eric even more intrigued. Somehow he knew she had a past that she was reluctant to share and he was going to pry it out of her...but would he regret it?

Finally he was invited to her home and when he entered, he was impressed with the home, it was a tad nicer than his.

"Well, this is it, my humble home...," Hermione smiled and then went to the living room to light a fire. Normally she'd wave her wand and just start it, but in this case, she'd have to do it the muggle way. After she got it started, she sat on the couch and Eric sat next her, his arm behind her. "Eric...there are some things I want to talk with you about, why I'm so...why I've been so distant."

"Go on...," Eric was eager to learn all about her, she seemed so fragile when she said it.

"I've lost a lot of people in my life. A while ago, I had someone I loved very much, die." Eric's reaction was expected, his eyes sadened and was slightly suprised. "We were very close and he wanted to get married, but he was killed by someone very cruel...and not long before that...my parents died. This is my parents house, but they left it to me."

"Hermione, I had no idea...I thought that maybe someone broke your heart, I didn't think..."

"No one does. So, it's been hard getting close to people without shying away. But another thing is...you look a lot like the man I was going to marry and I didn't want you to think that I was wanting to be around you because of that. I was trying to make sure I was wanting to be around you because of you."

Eric was impressed with her consideration of his feelings, "do you have a picture of him?"

"Yes," Hermione did have muggle pictures of Harry. Her mother took them one day when he came to visit. She got up and went to a drawer on the side of the desk and pulled an album out. Flipping through a number of pages, she finally found the ones that she could show Eric, his reaction was that of shock...this man did look like him, but younger and with glasses. "That's why...I mean, I understand if you don't want to be together."

"NO! I mean...it's alright. I'm glad you prepared me though, they say everyone has a twin. And I'm also happy that you took my feelings into consideration, you weren't using me as a way to bring him back."

"No...I couldn't do that. You look like him, but you are both different in many ways...you liked dancing, he hated it...but he liked sports. He wasn't a rough person like you would think because of it. He was very sweet and he went through a lot in his young life...so..."

"He sounds like a genuine person, what was his name?" Eric was getting jealous all of a sudden.  
"Harry," Hermione said it with such affection that Eric looked at the pictures now with annoyance. He shouldn't be jealous over a dead man, but he was.

"Mmm."

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"I see...you're jealous."

"Why would I be jealous?"

"I don't know...why would you be?" She thought this was sort of cute. "You have no reason to be, I like you for who YOU are, okay? And...he is obviously not in my life now. If he was...you and I may have never met," Hermione looked down.

"And I would have never known I was missing out on such a beautiful person. Still...if you had decided to take dancing classes anyway...I may have tried to seduce you."

She shot her head up, "ERIC!" He laughed. After a few minutes, a serious expression came across Hermione's face again. "I have yet to tell you another thing about me, and this is the one that I'm not sure you'll like. After all, your parents are Catholic and so are you."

"What, that you're another religion?" Eric shrugged his shoulders, "that doesn't matter...I'm not a devote Catholic."

"Oh...it's a little more than that...," Hermione cringed, but she figured if he ran away, she could have the Ministry modify his memory. They'd done it before with witches or wizards who revealed themselves to their chosen lovers who didn't take it so well.

"There's more? You're turning out to be full of suprises."

She sighed, "you have no idea."

"Well?"

"I'm..a...I'mawitch."

"A what?"  
Hermione sighed again, "I'm a witch."

"A WITCH!"

"A witch. I know...I know the church has things against people like me...but we're not bad people at all, well, most of us...sure, we do magic, but it's just who we are."

"So, you're a witch?"

"Yes. Look, I'll show you..." Hermione took a little trinket on the table in front of them and tranfigured it into a key, "see."

Eric picked it up in amazement and then at her, almost accusingly, "did you cast a spell for me to care for you?"

"WHAT?...N...NO! I wouldn't do something like that!"

"How do I know?"  
She shook her head, "first off, If I did all this in front of you, you wouldn't even care, much less ask if you were under a spell in the first place. You'd just shrug your shoulders and continue to snog me to death...you'd be oblivious."

"Was this, HARRY of yours a..a...?"

"Wizard, yes, he practiced magic as well...and he died saving my life, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't make him sound so...so...evil or something. We met in school and...yes, we are what we are...if you don't like that about me, I'm glad you and I didn't sleep together in the first place! Why would I give my heart to someone who can't except me for who I am...that's why I showed you, so I...maybe I wanted to care for someone again and I wanted you to be that person," Hermione started to tear, so she stood up and started for the stairs, but stopped for a moment. "If you want to leave, the door's right there...I won't bother you again."

Eric watched as she went upstair, he was torn. Part of him was very frightened by what he saw and the other part was curious and wanted to be with her anyway. There was admiration, she took a big risk revealing what she was, but what would his father say? They didn't have to know...at least not right away, after the wedding...? Still, he couldn't deny that she still intrigued him...she was a witch, she could do all these things with a wave of a wand. Eric didn't quite know how to handle this but he followed her upstairs, he looked in a few room and found her's. Hermione was crying silently.

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked over shocked, "I...I thought you left?" She wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to at least look fairly presentable.

"I thought about it...but, I couldn't...I'm not going to lie, it's a bit of a shock...but I don't think you're evil...it's a gift, I think. Even though I don't understand it. What do they call people like me in the world you come from...? Just curious."

"Muggles...non-magical folk. It's not easy for someone like me to date someone like you...obviously."

"Then why are you...allowing yourself?" was it because he looked so much like this 'Harry?

"Because, I think that you're someone I want to be with. It's not because you look like Harry either, you're different than him, you have to remember that...so you don't look like Harry, you look like Eric...do you understand?"

He nodded and came in front of her, bending down, Eric put his arms around her and held her. Hermione kissed him on the cheek and then the lips, her passion started to come through and soon he had pushed his way on top of her, not wanting to hold back and she wasn't making him. "I want you, Hermione...please," Eric whispered this in desperation...it had been almost a month.

"Alright...I'm yours," Hermione smiled.

Eric moaned in satisfaction as he took her lips, yanking and pulling her clothes off...he was aggressive to say the least. And when she undressed him, she couldn't believe how built he was...how muscular, clearly a dancer's body. Their love making was passionate and almost violent and when she called out, she called out Eric's name, not Harry's...this made him feel better to say the least.

Afterwards they giggled a little at how they went at each other. She laid on his chest as he held her, Eric was going to spend the night and she knew it. He looked down at her, "now...I think we need to establish some rules."

"Rules?" Hermione couldn't believe this, he almost sounded like Malfoy.

"Don't look at me like that...I just mean, you're mine and I'm yours. And as such there are some rules."

"Like?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, I don't want you dancing with anyone I don't agree with...or if you have men friends, I'd prefer to meet them before you do anything with them, if I let you do anything with them."

"Let me?"

"I'm not finished...girlfriends are fine as long as they don't go to those horrible dance clubs where the men are practically having sex with you on the dance floor. Speaking of which, I don't believe in denying each other unless you're sick or...a certain time each month."

Hermione sighed, "is that all, or do I have to wear certain outfits too?"

"You don't have to be sarcastic, I'm just stating the obvious if you think about it. After all, would you want me running around with some of the girl dancers like I used to?"

"NO," her jealous tone made him smile.

"Alright then..," Eric rolled back on top of her. "I think I'll be exercising my right to you again."

* * *

Lucius knew what had happened and furious wasn't the word. He should have taken her when he had the chance, but his little plan backfired and now his mudblood was in the arms of a filthy muggle! But he couldn't very well kill him, no, because his wand was being monitored by the Ministry. So, instead, he would drive them apart...he didn't know how though. Lucius thought and then an evil smile came across his face, he knew the exact person to go to for this situation...and then...and then he would make sure she lost her closest friend in the world too, making him the only thing she could depend on. How sweet it would be to win her...to tear her down and then build her up, all his doing. 


	7. Coming to Light

Chapter 7

Lucius had done some of his own research about the young man that had seduced his mudblood. He had a bit of a reputation for being a lady's man...yet, he never really did cheat on those he was involved with, however, his relationships never seemed to last very long because of the type of women he was with. Hermione was the complete opposite of what this 'Eric' normally dated...little tramps that had barely any class but could dance well. His mudblood was different, and Lucius didn't appreciate his territory being violated.

* * *

Eric seemed to be in a state of euphoria for the past week. Everything seemed easier, his dancing, his relationship with his father...life in general. Hermione had opened his eyes to a different world and a life that he thought was in fairy tales and myths, and he loved hearing about them. He was like a child that was being told a very exciting bedtime story, she couldn't help but chuckle at his reactions to certain things like when she waved her wand and started a fire, or how she would change his hair color by mumbling a simple spell.

"What would our child be considered?" Eric asked out of the blue one day.

Hermione was taken aback by the question, "er...child?"

"Yes, what would they be considered...would they be able to do magic?"

"They should, the magic gene tends to be stronger than the muggle gene...so, they would be considered a half-breed. They would still go to school...a magic school and learn how to do magic."

"Really?" Eric was driving, they were on their way to see his parents. Hermione nodded. "You know, Hermione, you're the only girl I've taken to really meet my parents...at their home, I mean."

"Oh," she blushed.

"I wanted you to know that."

It was his way of telling her how special she was to him. Yet, she was so scared of getting any closer. Hermione had this terrible feeling that Lucius was going to find her...what would happen if Eric interfered? Hell, he already interfered! Lucius could easily kill him...but she tried to push the thought out of her mind. No, she was going to enjoy this time, Hermione made sure Lucius couldn't get in the house and while Eric wasn't looking, she did the same to his house as well. And if the time came...she'd protect his parents too.

* * *

Lucius walked up the stairs of his mudblood's home. He'd figured out her combination, she was smart, it took him a while to find it...so much potential WASTED on a muggle who couldn't appreciate the fine art of it. Walking up the stairs, Lucius observed the muggle home...it was much different than his manor, smaller but well built. He could tell that her parents were not rich like him, but well off...more so than the Weasleys, he grinned as he thought of their misfortune.

He looked through the rooms and found the master bedroom, she was in there, her clothes were on the bed. Lucius sifted through her things...she had nice intimates at least. Observing a wooden box that seemed to stand out, he opened it and there he found pictures of Harry Potter and what looked like his wand. There were other things like little notes that he had written to her and with no regard for Hermione's privacy, he opend one which said:

_'Hermione - I want you to know that I love you, but we must tell Ron and Ginny soon. We are being dishonest with them. I know they'll be upset and may not ever speak to us for a little while...if ever, but it's for the best. - love, Harry'_

Lucius's suspicions were confirmed and he glared at the note as if it couldn't have possibly offended him more. He wanted to tear the blasted thing up, but couldn't leave any evidence that he was there. Was she using the boy to get over Harry? No, it seemed she hadn't touched the box in a while...that could be told by the amount of dust that was on it, wasn't much of a housekeeper. No, his pretty little mudblood was not made for meanial things like housework and labor, his was made to be a companion, a scholar...he could picture himself dancing with her at the Wizard's Ball, or even having her dance for him until his desire to mate was overpowering. Lucius could picture her in the middle of dancing while he approached her and forced his little mudblood to the ground so that he could have sex with her...what fun.

A malicous grin ran across his face. Then he turned his attention to the other rooms and there he found different pictures of her and her family before their death. She was younger in the pictures...smiling. Lucius had to admit, he hadn't seen her smile very often, and unfortunately, he would have to make her cry more in order to accomplish what needed to be done. His mudblood would depend on him and him alone, he would make her want him, he would make her unable to live without him...just as he had done with Narcissa.

* * *

Eduardo and his wife, Anna Belle were pleased with Hermione. She was polite, kind, and even helped Anna Belle with the dishes.

"What a lovely girl...was I or was not right about her?" Eduardo smiled as him and his son waited for them in the living room.

"You were right, papa," Eric smiled.

"So...?"

"So?"

"Are you going to ask her to marry you?"

"You're more in a hurry for me to get married than I am," Eric grinned.

"I want to see grandchildren before I die," Eduardo joked.

"Father, I do have something to tell you about Hermione...she isn't a Catholic."

Eduardo thought for a second, then looked down, "to be honest...that is alright. I have found that when it comes to love...it knows no real line. Although, I do hope you agree on how you will raise your children and what they'll believe in..."

Eric looked up a bit, "oh...we already have an idea."

"Good...good. So she is open to children?"

"Yes," he rolled his eyes.

"Well, I just want to make sure...I know you love children."

Finally the two women came out with coffee and pastries and they enjoyed the rest of the evening.

* * *

Eric took Hermione back to his place, showing her around...especially the bedroom. "My parents like you..."

"I'm glad," she smiled as she looked around.

"I love you, Hermione."

Her eyes widened.., "you...you love me?" She didn't know if this was good or not, she cared about Eric too..but it had only been a few weeks.

"You don't have to say it back right now, I know...it's soon, I didn't expect to fall so soon for you. I don't want it to scare you away, Hermione."

"It won't, Eric... I'm glad you love me. But I still need time, alright?"

He nodded and when she came and caressed him, Eric forgot his troubles once again.

* * *

Lucius paced back and forth, he knew where she was...HE KNEW WHERE SHE WAS! It was getting too late...2 a.m. to be exact. His mudblood was with that filthy muggle male! They would pay dearly.

* * *

Hermione finally came home around 7 a.m. Eric didn't want her to leave but there were things she needed to do today, plus, at the rate they were going...she'd never get any sleep. She giggled to herself, he was such a passionate man. She grinned as she took a shower and grinned when she went to sleep for a few hours.

* * *

Lucius was tired of this, he'd let go on long enough. He had thought the little love afair would have ended by now, but now the muggle had gotten too close. Now she was grinning to herself, walking in at 7 a.m. like a little harlot! But he would soon correct this problem and called on a little favor from someone that owed him big time. The owl had been sent and he would soon hear a reply back...if she knew what was good for her. He did. The plan was set, soon he'd wipe that rediculous smile off her face.

* * *

Hermione woke back up around 10 a.m. Got dressed and went grocery shopping. She had written Ginny back and told her that she'd be glad for her to come over today, and to go ahead and floo over even if she wasn't there yet.

* * *

Lucius knew the Weasley girl was coming for a visit and decided that it was time to set the plan in motion today. He apparated into Hermione's home and went to the bedroom, he knocked over the box that contained the pictures of her and Harry, knowing that Ginny Weasley would most likely pick them up...he made sure they were nice and visable.

* * *

Ginny flooed over, Hermione wasn't home yet, she had mentioned she went grocery shopping. Ginny took a look around and saw that Hermione had settled in very well, but she heard a noise upstairs, maybe Hermione was home after all? She trotted up the stairs, "Hermione, I'm coming up! Hope you're proper..." Ginny found the master bedroom where Hermione's clothes lay, "Hermone? Oh...something fell." She came near a box that seemed to have pictures in it and some notes. Hermione always was very sentimental. As Ginny picked up the pictures and looked at them...her eyes widened and then looked hurt...pictures of Harry and Hermione kissing, one where they looked like they just...tears started to fall.

* * *

Hermione came back, she saw that the fireplace had been used, "Ginny...are you here? Ginny! I'm home!

" "I'm...I'm up...here!" Ginny's voice sounded distressed and ragged.

Hermione ran up the stairs in a panick, had something happened? "Ginny...what's...?" She stopped in her tracks. There was Ginny with the photos of her and Harry in her hand...and the notes...the notes had been opened. 'Oh Gods,' she thought as she went pale.

"CARE...to explain this!" Ginny's face was filled with anger and rage. "Why are you kissing my HARRY!" tears were spilling.

"Ginny, I...we wanted to tell you that...but everything happened so quickly. We were going to tell you after it was all over...," Hermione was tearing, she felt sick, her heart felt like it was falling through her stomach and the walls seemed like they were closing in on her. Her hands trembled...they had betrayed Ginny and she knew it.

"TELL ME WHAT!"

"We had fallen in love...I tried...we tried to stay away from it."

"YOU'RE LYING!"

"I'm not lying!" Hermione snapped. "I didn't want to hurt you, do you think I would deliberately try and break you and Harry up for the fun of it! He initiated it...and we were going to tell you and Ron, we figured that it would be better that way...and then he...he died and I couldn't bare to tell you, I couldn't bare to bring you any more pain."

"YET YOU WOULD LIE TO ME ANYWAY, ONLY FOR ME TO FIND OUT YOUR DIRTY SECRET! I CAN'T CONFRONT HIM, THAT'S WHAT'S EVEN WORSE ABOUT IT! ALL I HAVE IS YOUR SIDE OF THE STORY!"

"I know," she said softly.

Ginny came up and shoved Hermione, Hermione didn't even defend herself...she was so tired of fighting, "HOW COULD YOU! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!" Ginny kept shoving her, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!"

"I am, Ginny...you know i love you," Hermione felt a hard slap across her face, so hard it split her lip.

"YOU'RE A LYER, A FUCKING LYER...AND HE'S A LYER TOO!" Ginny slapped Hermione again, and Hermione again didn't defend herself, she was slumped against the wall and Ginny hit her in the face and shoulders, and winced every time...she deserved it, at least that's what she told herself. "I HATE YOU!" Ginny finished and ran out of the room, flooing herself back to the Burrow.

Tears fell from Hermione's face as she pushed herself from the wall and walked to the bathroom...her face looked aweful...bruised in the cheeks and a bloody lip. She washed her face and started to put the ointment on which faded them well, but she would need more later. Eric couldn't see her like this, he would flip completely out, thinking she'd been mugged...Ginny could hit hard for a girl, but with six brothers, what did one expect?

Hermione plopped on the toilet and bent over, putting her head between her knees...she deserved all the punches and slaps Ginny gave her. At least Ginny didn't argue with her on the fact that she wouldn't break Harry and her up for the fun of it...she thought that maybe Ginny knew in her heart that it was true, because during that time...Harry had grown distant from her and those pictures only confirmed her fear and sadness of why. She sat there for over an hour, contemplating what to do next. There was a tapping at the window.

Hermione had this fear that perhaps it was from Ron...and she was right, Pig had a Howler in his beak. She took it and Pig left almost as if he was mad at her too, "great, now a bird is mad at me." She didn't have a choice, and opened it immediately.

_Hermione!_

HOW COULD YOU! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS ME AND GINNY! ESPECIALLY GINNY! WHY DIDN'T YOU AND HARRY AT LEAST TELL ME THE TRUTH! I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IT, BUT NOW LOOK AT THE MESS YOU'VE MADE! HOW COULD YOU HURT HER! SHE'S YOUR BEST FRIEND...OR WAS! I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SEE EACH OTHER FOR A WHILE...IT WOULD BE BEST FOR NOW. ALRIGHT! RON

She sighed..and watched as the Howler tore itself to pieces. Looking at the clock, it was 1:37 p.m. Hermoine made up her mind that she wasn't going to go to dance class, she'd call Eric and tell him she wasn't feeling well. She just couldn't deal with this right now and he wouldn't leave it alone until she told him everything, that was one thing that Harry and him had in common, tenacity. 'Harry,' she thought. 'You left me here to deal with this on my own. Coward. They're twice as angry with you and they're taking it ALL out on me...those slaps and punches from Ginny were for you, you know? But I took them for you as I have everything else...you were right, we should have told them sooner. Yet I was so scared of hurting Ginny and now...I may have hurt her even worse by keeping it from her. I guess I'm the idiot in this scenario, I wish I knew what to do.'

* * *

Lucius watched the argument and couldn't believe that Hermione didn't defend herself! Had he been in the room, he would have torn that Weasley brat off of her! The person she should have been really hitting was the deceased Harry Potter and instead, she was abusing her good friend. Still, he got what he wanted accomplished.

* * *

Hermione couldn't take it, she wrote a letter...if anything, something sincere for a 'goodbye.' She had to at least defend herself verbally:

_Ginny and Ron,_

I know you are both extremely angry with me, and have every right to be. I know I screwed up, Harry screwed up...but he at least wanted to tell you right away, but I was so scared of hurting you and convinced him otherwise. I convinced him that after the war would be better, because we would be all alive and safe, that this may not matter as much. But he died and when I saw how sad you were, Ginny, I couldn't bring myself to say anything at all...I was a coward for it and the best I can say is that I'm sorry for hurting you. I know you may never forgive me and that's okay. I'll deal with it, I deserve it. But please know, I meant what I said, I love you so much...you're my sister in every way. I screwed that up, I'm sure. Ronald, I'm sorry too. I wish I could have felt strongly for you...I really do. Perhaps things would have turned out differently if you and I had been together, instead of me pushing you away..There are so many things I wish I could change, but I can't. So, this will be the last letter I write to you, you'll never hear from me again. Love Always, Hermione

She sent her owl out to them. It was a special type of letter known as an "Apologetic Scroll", it was blue in color and would cry louder and louder until you opened it. So they wouldn't have a choice to at least hear what she had to say, they may not listen, but they would at least hear it.

Hermione got up from the table and went back upstairs to sleep...she was so tired, her heart was broken again, but at least she knew how to deal with it better this time. 


	8. Remorse

Chapter 8

Hermione woke up to her phone ringing...it was nearly 4 o'clock. She picked up the phone and Eric's voice was on the line, "Hermione?"

"Oh, Eric...hi. Is something the matter?"

"Yes...you were supposed to meet me at my place around 3:30...remember?"

"Oh...," Hermione tutted herself. "I'm sorry, I fell asleep..."

"Are you sick?"

"No...no..."

"Are you...?" Eric almost sounded happy at what he was hinting at.

"NO!"

"Oh. Did you want me to come over?"

"No...today was a bad day, just a really bad day..."

"I thought your friend was coming over...?"

"She did and...we got into a fight."

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Eric's voice sounded concerned, genuinely concerned.

"Anyway, I look rather rough right now and I just need a little time alone, it's not you, okay?"

"Alright...so you aren't coming to dance class?"

"I'm afraid not, tell your father I'm sorry..okay? Bye, sweetheart," Hermione hung up the phone before Eric could ask another question. He was so tenacious...and wouldn't stop until he found out why, where, and how. If he saw her face...he'd definately have questions.

Hermione sat on the edge of her bed and wanted to cry, suddenly that terrible feeling washed over her again...the one you get when you remember how bad your life just got. "I deserve it," she mumbled. "I deserved every blow and insult."

She walked over to the bathroom where she examined her face and found that the bruise by her eye had faded, but her lip was still split but the blood had dried...Ginny must have hit her harder than she thought. There was a bruise across her cheek and her chest, her shoulders ached and when Hermione pulled her shirt up, there were scrapes on her back from the wall...nothing like stucco. She sighed and looked irratated...she was almost out of the damned ointment and Diagon Alley would be closing soon except for a few bars, "dammit."

Hermione tossed the ointment into the sink and decided to just have dinner instead...she was starving. She had no breakfast because of Eric, Ginny came over and they were supposed to have lunch but obviously that didn't happen. She came into the kitchen...there was ice cream everywhere...Hermione had forgotten to put away the groceries. "OH , COME. ON!"

Still, it was minor, she waved her wand a few times and managed to clean up the sticky mess and decided to be lazy and put her groceries away in the same manner. Maybe she should do her cooking the same way too...no, she liked to use her hands. Hermione didn't believe in over-using magic like they did in the wizarding world. Unless you had seven kids like Mrs. Weasley, that would come in handy...Mrs. Weasley, Hermione frowned. She doubed Mrs. Weasley would ever talk to her again either. It was now she realized that she was truly alone, and this ache inside her heart start to fill her chest as if it would explode.

Hermione started to have a panic attack.

She used to have them a lot, though no one really knew about them. The Healers had given her a calming drout to help her sleep...a dreamless one. They slowly subsided, but this inciden with Ginny brought it back on again. She grew dizzy and fell on her knees, but did the little practice that the Healers taught her if she didn't have any of the drout. Breathing slowly and deeply and rocking...rocking comforted her, then slowly and surely it subsided. "Okay...you're okay, Hermione...you're okay," she whispered.

* * *

Eric paced back and forth, he couldn't stand it. She practically hung up and him and he hated that! She always pushed him away if he got too close, well he wasn't taking it, she would let him in whether she liked it or not! He called his father and let him know he wasn't coming to class either, that something was wrong with Hermione and he needed to go to her. Eduardo agreed.

* * *

Hermione just looked at the pots and pans, she didn't even feel like eating. There was a knock at the door, "who is it?"

"It's me..."

"Eric?"

"Yes..."

"What are you doing here, I thought you had dance class?"

"I did, but I wanted to see you..."

"Eric."

"Open the door, Hermione."

"Eric, I told you that I needed to be alone for a while..."

"And it has been a while...open the door," he hissed.

She groaned and opened it, hiding her face slightly with her hair, "alright...you are here, I'm fine."

"Then why are you hiding your face...," Eric pushed her hair away and grew angry at the sight of it. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED! WHO DID THIS TO YOU!"

Hermione took his hand away from her face, "...it just happened, the fight Ginny and I got into..."

"SHE HIT YOU! WHAT THE HELL FOR!" his temper appearently matched Ginny's. "Did she just outright attack you from behind!"

"It's a long story..."

"One I'm willing to hear!" he demanded.

"I didn't...I didn't defend myself, I let her..."

"What! Why?"

Hermione sat back down, she was so tired and looked pale, "I don't really want to talk about it now."

Not wanting to create another argument, he caressed her hair, "alright...but tell me later. Have you eaten?" She shook her head. "I can tell...I'll make you dinner."

"Eric, you don't have to do that..."

"I want to, I'm a good cook...I learned from my mother." Before she could protest any further, he was already looking around to see what he could make, and after an hour, they had a lovely salad for starters and speghetti with meat balls for dinner.

"That was good..."

"I know."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "you're so modest." The color came back into her cheeks finally.

Eric chuckled, "Now...why did you and Ginny get into this fight and why did you let her attack you?"

She looked down. Hermione explained everything to him...from Voldemort's attacks on Harry to the war itself. How she and Harry had fallen in love...to now, how Ginny found out.

"So...the strange storms that happened here...they were the work of those band of wizards then?"

"Yes...the Death Eaters. They hated muggles..people like yourself. They would kill them for fun and were extremely dangerous."

"And Harry survived the unforgivable curse that brought death...and he was the only one in your history that had...?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he survive it, well, this time."

"Because it was Harry's blood that brought Voldemort back...you see, his mother's love was what protected him last time...but this time it was an even shot. Harry stepped in front of the killing spell to save me, but also shot the same spell back and Voldemort. The irony was, Voldemort's father was a muggle."

"But then why would he attack muggles then?"

"His father left him. From what I know...his mother put his father under a love spell and he didn't understand what he was doing, I guess. But one day, her guilt got the better of her and when the spell stopped working, he left her with child and well...he always blamed his father, killed him later on."

"That's aweful! I mean, aweful that his father would leave a woman who is pregnant, but aweful that he would kill him as well."

"It was a complex, in my opinion. 'Daddy never loved me, so I'm going to take it out on the world' type deal," Hermione shrugged her shoulders.

"You put yourself in grave danger, didn't you?"

"I guess you could say that. But if I didn't, they would have killed me too..."

"WHY? I thought you were a witch?"

"I am. But I'm the kind they don't like. I'm what they call a 'muggleborn'...a witch or wizard that had muggle parents, no magical blood in the family...but somehow my kind are born anyway. The famous racist term for this is 'mudblood'...meaning 'dirty blood'."

"So it was pretty much...racism?"

"Yes. The pure-bloods, like the one I told you about, Lucius Malfoy...he had been Voldemort's right hand man, along with Bellatrix Lestrange who later died. He hated me and my kind with a passion and still does."

"He's alive!"

"Yes. Very much alive and...but he's trying to work his way back up and gain a good reputation again..."

"AFTER TRYING TO MURDER YOU!"

"Of course. He's rich, he has a lot of protection..."

Eric sighed, "I guess it's like that everywhere you go...muggle or magician."

"I guess so. It's one of the reasons why I left the wizarding world for a while...he still exists and he's a reminder that in some ways, we failed...," plus she slept with him...but leaving that part out might have been a good idea.

"And Ginny...she didn't know...? About Harry?"

"No. It was my own fault...he wanted to tell them sooner, but I was convinced it would be better if we waited. So when he died, I thought that there was no reason to bring her more pain, I wanted to her to have good memories of Harry...not...not these."

"She took it out on you...you know? Her feelings about Harry, she hit you because she wanted to hit him."

"I know," Hermione said quietly.

"...and you let her..."

"I know."

"You're a good friend...," Eric smiled warmly at her.

She almost chuckled, "I think that's debatable right now."

Eric came and knelt beside her, "I didn't help, you know..."

"What do you mean?" Hermione was confused.

"I know you were verbally abused a lot...I can tell, from what you've told me. How unkind they were to you...even Harry and Ron, taking advantage of your talents for study. You sacraficed yourself for the war...only for the Ministry to slap you in the face by inviting those horrid men back into society because they still had money, and you let your friend Ginny take out every hurt feeling she had because of Harry, out on you...but she wasn't there seeing the horrors you did...then I come along later and tell you how clumsy you are at dancing, when it was because I had these feelings for you and I was fighting them...you've been through a lot...and I don't think anyone appreciates it. You lost everything..and you're still standing, that's admirable and don't let anyone tell you otherwise," his voice and words were a caress to her very soul.

Finally, someone was acknowledging her, as a person...not the brainy bookworm, not the war hero, not the mudblood...but a person who had lost so much and it caused her to breakdown. Eric only took her into his arms and held her, holding her...and later, made love to her and this time they were sleeping in. 


	9. Pain Pill

Chapter 9

Lucius waited for the woman to arrive and she did. Her name was Belinda, she had brown hair and blue eyes, she was pretty but was trouble...and that's why he called her, "I have a job for you."

"So I heard...if I do this for you, our debt is clear?" she eyed him. He had leant her some money a while back to get her out of some gambling debt.

"Yes."

"You know, I don't really like this idea. Never was one to break up a loving couple...but if you say it'll clear my debt, you sure you can't think of something else? This is kind of tacky and really not my style."

"No. I want it done and I want it done tomorrow."

"Fine," Belinda sighed and apparated to the hotel Lucius put her in. He grinned to himself, soon it would be over and he would easily step in and take over her life.

* * *

Eric arrived at the dance studio early to get some paperwork done, then there was as knock on the office door, he opened it to find a nice looking brunette, "Hello."

"Hello," he smiled kindly. "Can I help you?"

"Yes...you can," she suddenly attacked Eric, kissing him fiercely...there was a potion on her lips, one that would put him under a sexual trance. Belinda was rather good at mixing potions such as this and muggles were very weak against it. She tried to do it to Lucius once, but that man was invincable to anything it seemed.

Eric didn't know what was happening, suddenly he was reacting to her, suddenly he was kissing this woman! He tried to tell himself to stop, but his body wasn't listening...all it wanted to do was have sex with this woman, but he didn't really want to...he wanted Hermione, why was he doing this! 'STOP IT!' he screamed in his head.

* * *

Hermione decided to visit Eric early, he hinted at some time alone before class and she'd never really done it in an office before...blushing she came through the school and headed his office. As she came closer, she heard strange noises and opened the door...to her horror, Eric was banging away at some woman!

"Oh my God!" she gasped and backed away from the door, tears were forming, her heart dropped and turned cold...she wanted to die right there, but life in no way, was that kind.

It was then Eric snapped out of it and reacted the same way, "what...what happened?" He immediately pulled from her and straightened himself up. "Hermione?"

She shook her head and put her hands over her mouth.

"HERMIONE? No. You don't understand! I don't know what happened!"

Hermione didn't respond, all she could do was look at him with tears in her eyes as she backed away. Eric started towards her and she ran as fast as she could with Eric yelling after her. She made it out the door and knew she wouldn't be able to out run him, but luckily there was a taxi...and got into it. Eric came out the door, just as Hermione got into the taxi..., "HERMIONE!"

She looked at the driver, "GO! GO!"

The taxi sped off with Eric chasing it for nearly a quarter mile...he was fast and determined to stop her. He realized he couldn't and headed back to the school to confront the woman, "WHO ARE YOU!"

"Not your type sweetie? Bye," she waved and then apparated in front of him.

Eric was confused, what was that! Where did she go! He didn't know what happened until he heard Hermione's voice! This panic set in, absolute horror and fear set in...he was about to lose Hermione. He called on his cell phone, she had to be home by now..., "HERMIONE! Please pick up! I'm sorry...it wasn't, it didn't make sense! This woman came in and..."

* * *

Hermione pushed open her door to hear Eric's voice on the answering machine...he was just leaving a message, "...and she started to kiss me and then I can't remember what happened! I don't know, it was like I blacked out! After I chased you...I came back to confront her and she disappeared in front of me! I don't know...it was like a puff of smoke or something...what is that, HERMIONE! Please, my love! Answer the phone!"

She looked down at the answering machine, her eyes puffy and swollen from crying so much. Hermione could tell that his voice was wavering, he was crying over the phone...

"PLEASE...PLEASE! SWEEHEART! I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! I KNOW IT LOOKED HORRIBLE...BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING!"

Reluctantly Hermione picked up the phone, "Eric?"

"HERMIONE! Oh GOD, please forgive me! I didn't know what was happening! I didn't...she came in...and started kissing me...I blacked out, I don't remember! PLEASE, let me come over!"

Hermione wanted to, but she couldn't get the image of him having sex with that woman out of her head, "no."

"PLEASE!"

"No...I can't...I can't talk to you now."

"WHEN?"

"I don't know...please...I can't talk about it now..."

"I LOVE YOU! YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!" Eric's voice was a desperate plea now.

"I love you, too."

"You...you do?" he choked.

"Yes...that's why this hurts so much...but I can't talk right now. I don't know when, maybe in a few days."

"A FEW DAYS? Hermione...no, we haven't been apart since we've been together...no."

"If you want to talk, if you want to try and mend this...you'll give me a few days."

His breath wavered, "alright...only a few days. I don't care if I have to break down the door then to get to you after that!"

"Fine," she said softly.

"I love you, Hermione."

She hung up the phone, she just couldn't say it back right now. And the only reason why she agreed to see him was because it all sounded too suspicious, despite what he'd done...he said he blacked out, and the woman disappeared in a puff of smoke...apparation. Hermione never told him about apparation, so how would he know what it even looked like? Even if he was lying, he'd come up with a far better story than that. But that image...it wouldn't go away overnight and she knew it. Of all the times to tell him she loved him...after he was caught shagging another woman...the Universe had a sick sense of humor.

Again, Hermione's body wished for rest, but her mind was wrestling and she couldn't deal with it. She went upstairs and took a few sleeping pills and popped them in her mouth. She should be taking the sleeping drout, but forgot to go to Diagon Alley today. Looking down at the bottle, a brief thought, a morbid one, crossed her mind...maybe she should take them all? She had lost everything...Harry...the Weasleys...Ginny...her parents...and now possibly Eric.

She fell to her knees and started to sob, there was all this pain... Hermione managed to pull herself together enough to take a shower, a scalding hot shower...she felt like punishing herself and let the hot water burn her. Screaming out at first and then it slowly started to feel good, but then she would turn up the heat and scream again...torturing herself, that's what Hermione was doing, torturing herself. After the war it was supposed to be better...but it wasn't better. She moved here to get away from the pain and it followed her anyway...and ironically in the form of Harry and their worst enemy, Lucius...the war was still going on and this time it was in her heart.

Soon the sleeping pills kicked in and Hermione crawled into her bed naked, her body red from the heat. Her eyes closed and she gladly let herself disappear from the world for however long the pills would let her.

* * *

Lucius watched and overheard everything...she was so forgiving, how sad. It wouldn't matter, his pretty little mudblood would be gone tomorrow. He couldn't stand to watch her torture herself any further. She blamed herself for everything and she shouldn't have. Any other woman would have not even answered the phone, but she figured it out...smart girl, so he had no time to waste. Hermione's soft heart would end up forgiving him and Lucius could not allow that.

He apparated in, and found the tin where she kept her tea and put special herbs of his own in, it wouldn't take much. Lucius knew his little mudblood drank tea every morning, despite what she was feeling...it was a habit, like brushing your teeth. Yes, everything had gone quite well.

* * *

Hermione woke up well rested, but it hit her what happened yesterday again and that sick feeling washed over her. She hated that feeling...you wake up peaceful and then reality of what happened yesterday, a few hours ago kicked in...like it did with Harry. That morning after his death...she threw up, just like she was about to do now. Hermione knew what was happening to her...she was having an emotional breakdown.

The toilet flushed and she brushed her teeth, she hated throwing up. Hermione put on some loose clothing, nice flowing sweats that fit her nicely...but she felt ugly anyway. Out of curiousity she wieghed herself...she'd lost seventeen pounds. Too much weight. Oh sure, she was like every other woman in the world, wanting to shed a few pounds here or there...but seventeen... Hermione examined herself...Eric was right, she had lost too much, her ribs were showing and her arms looked boney. Not eating will do that to a person...she looked aweful.

"I have to eat something," mumbling to herself.

There was a message...no doubt it was Eric, the sleeping pills put her out where she was like the dead. Not now. Instead she made her tea and looked in the refrigerator...there wasn't anything to eat. She sighed, after her tea she'd go out for some groceries and maybe grab some breakfast to go at the cafe. Screw cooking after what she'd been through.

The tea was done and she sipped away at it...it tasted funny.

Hermione crinkled her nose and sipped again...maybe the leaves had gone bad? She sniffed at it and then looked in the tin, there were strange things she hadn't seen before in it...? Did she pick the wrong kind again? She sipped again and realized how funny she was feeling, her head was fuzzy, her eyesight was blurry...the cup fell to the floor and broke into pieces, the crash hurt her ears.

Everything was so strange and a warm feeling came over her body...Hermione crawled to the phone, but then there was a 'crack' and then heavy footsteps were heard behind her. The phone was jerked out of the wall. Hermione blinked and recognized the boots...Lucius's boots. The message was being played...it was Eric, he was telling her how much he missed her and that he wanted her to know that, and promising not to call anymore today and to call him if...there was a large 'BANG', Hermione looked up...Lucius had put his fist through the machine.

She was trying so hard to push herself up, but couldn't.

"Having a hard time, are we?" Lucius crouched down and lifted her head up.

"How...?" she managed to get out.

"You underestimated me, my dear girl. Though your attempts were good...but experience over books tends to be better at times."

"Don't hurt...him," she couldn't even form a proper sentence!

"Oh...I have no intention of hurting him. In fact, I'm going to let him wonder where you are, I'm going to let him think something very bad happened to you, and you are no where to be found. Seems fitting after what he did to you..don't you think?"

"You...did it...?"

"No. I personally didn't do anything," he wasn't really lying. "Maybe it was another who took interest in him...there are other witches who like handsome muggles, you know?" Then Lucius started breaking things with his cane.

"No," her voice was soft, the herbs were taking their full effect now.

"I'm sorry, what was that? The herbs will take a while to wear off...my own special blend. You need very little. It's too bad you didn't delve further into the Dark Arts, you might have recognized the smell." Lucius crouched back down and looked at her, then picked her up and had her face him, her head resting on his shoulder, "you are so much trouble, Ms. Granger. But you're worth it, I'm sure." As he lifted her, he noticed how light she was compared to the last time, "you've lost too much weight...I'll have to feed you once this wears off."

They apparated to Malfoy Manor. 


	10. Plans

Chapter 10 Chapter 10

She awoke groggy and uncertain of where she was...her head was still fuzzy, her body was still weak. Someone came through the door, "you're up...well, sort of. Sometimes the herbs can take a full day to wear off..." Hermione tried to move. "I'm afraid you're immobile for right now," Lucius drawled. Then, slowly he crawled on top of her, causing her to panic. "Do you remember where we were? Ah, yes...I marked you and you deliberately disobeyed me." He grabbed her around the neck and nearly choked her, "you won't be doing that again!"

"I will...tell the Ministry...," Hermione protested.

"Go ahead. I guess you didn't read all of the history did you? If I mark you...you're my property...it's an old, old law and I'm afraid it's never been taken off he books...THEY CAN'T DO A DAMNED THING ABOUT IT!" he dropped her head into the pillow.

"You're...you're ...lying."

"Oh...no. In fact, I'll be happy to take you to the Ministry, you can talk to the Minister himself." Lucius caressed her face and examined her neck, "I guess you've covered it up well for Eric not to see it...that and it's faded." He held her close, Hermione realized what he was about to do and started to panic, but it didn't phase him. Lucius forced her head to the side, bit down again and even harder than before, she squealed in agony as his teeth seemed to pierce right through the skin. He held he tight to him as if he were a predator going for the jugular.

He dropped her back down, "now that I've re-established my ownership...I will let you rest."

She rolled over and started to cry.

* * *

Lucius had ordered her some dresses and arranged for some jewelry to be brought over, he'd pick something nice for her to wear. In a few days, he'd arrange for them to be seen in public together.

They arrived the next day, Hermione was fully recovered but still resistant as he knew she would be, "I don't want these things! Take me home!"

He sighed, "go home to WHAT, Hermione? To a boyfriend who cheated on you...to friends who abandoned you after all you went through!"

"You were spying one ME!"

"How do you think I found you? If you had just come off the train like I told you...you could have still had your friends...a life..."

"This is NOT a life! And as for ERIC, I know you had something to do with it!"

"I personally don't know what you're talking about...from what I undersand...he had a reputation, did he not?"

"Yes...but he never cheated on anyone," she said softly, almost tearing.

"Except you...," Lucius drawled.

"Be quiet! I know you had something to do with it...," Hermione hugged herself. "I don't want to be with you, just take me home so I can live my life."

He came up to her and held her, "do you know why I picked you?"

"For some sick joke, I suspect."

"Because you and I have more in common then you like to think. We have both lost a great deal...The Weasley girl had no idea what you had gone through, so it was easy for her to judge you...take her anger out on you for what Harry had done. And though you were part of it, it was his job to be honest with her. You had been fairly honest with Ronald Weasley...but no doubt his pride suffered slightly. She was protected and you were not, you suffered the most out of all of them, Harry Potter may have died...but he left you with the mess to clean up, as he did before. Whenever he and the Weasley brat were behind in their studies, you caught them up, whenever they needed to add brains to the plan...you were there. Despite the fact that my son did not like you...he respected you, you know. I miss my son as you miss your parents, and I miss my wife as you miss Harry...pain is the same, no matter WHO feels it, Ms. Granger."

Hermione was gripping his shirt and crying, as much as she wanted to deny his words, they

were true. "I know you are supposed to hate me...but I am what I am. And no amount of protesting from you or your friends will change that." He nuzzled her neck, "do you remember the day before you left?"

"You only want me because the other pure-blood females want nothing to do with you," she winced as his grip tightened. "I'm not stupid...I'm just a convenient lay, and once you've shown everyone that I approve of you and they think it's acceptable to associate with you again, you'll drop me. So...let's stop the charade," Hermione looked up at him. "What do you want...? Do you want me to help you...if I do this, will you let me go?"

Lucius was taken aback by her ability to see right through him.

"WILL you let me go?"

He didn't answer the question.

Hermione sighed, "I guess I'll have to answer it for you, I'll help you...you let me go. I'll even help you pick out a blasted wife if that's what you want. Then I'll go away forever. You'll never have to see my face again...I'm sure you'll be happy with that..."

His hand covered her mouth, this made him angry for some reason...what she was saying... Lucius dragged her to the bed and straddled her, she screamed through his hand, "you listen, and listen well...if I choose to let you go, I will...and not because I find a pure-blood female. If I tire of you, I tire of you and that's it. You are property...do you understand!...DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"

She nodded, tears were running down her face.

Lucius leaned over, "you will wear the things I buy you because I want you to wear them. You will obey me." He sat back up, "you need to rest...you're exhausted and then you need to eat, and you WILL eat, otherwise I'll pin you down and shove it down your gullet." He left and locked the door from the outside.

"Eric," Hermione whimpered. "I should have let you come over, I should have been with you and now...I may never see you again."

* * *

Where was she! Eric talked to the police, the phone had been ripped out of the wall, the machine smashed in, the room was torn apart...yet there was no blood, they would take the tea that was on the floor and examine it because the tin was knocked over too. They scowerd the floor for any kind of hair...there was Hermione's and a blonde hair...white blonde.

It drove him crazy with grief...he helped the police as much as he could, but what could he say? That his Hermione was a witch and there was a war between the muggles and wizards? He would be laughed out of the precinct! No. He had to find a way to reach another wizard or witch...but who could he go to. Ginny, but they had just had a fight and she mentioned something about reaching her by letter...by owl. Did Hermione own an owl? Maybe she did, but he never saw it. There was a place called the 'Leaky Couldron'...he'd have to find it, he remembered the corner she said it was on...but would they even talk to him knowing he was a muggle, surely they'd know. Still, he had to try...but what if they were like the wizards that didn't like muggles...he didn't care.

Eric was going to do everything he could to get Hermione back. It was in his gut who might have taken her...this Lucius Malfoy had white blonde hair...and a woman definately didn't have enough strength to do what was done that answering machine. Plus, Hermione mentioned that Lucius might still be after her...it had to be him! He knew what he was up against, he wasn't stupid...but, he just couldn't live without her. Eric took another swig of of beer...he'd had five already and his drunken stupor was kicking in completely. He had cried all night and barely ate...if it wasn't for that wench! She was a witch! Who was she though?

* * *

Hermione stared into the fire...Lucius was right to some aspect, it seemed so easy for Ron and Ginny to abandon her after all that they had been through. Couldn't have Ginny understood? But all this time, she did keep in from her...but to a point where she practically attacked her? Ron didn't even apologize for it...maybe he didn't know? No, Ginny told him everything...maybe he was jealous and angry at Harry too. He'd always been jealous of Harry. And Eric...by now he had to have realized she was missing. But as tenacious as he was, would he stop and nothing to find her? How could he though...? No. He wouldn't find her, instead, he would maybe come to the realization that perhaps she was dead and that was it. He would grieve and move on... 'To someone better suited, someone without all this baggage,' she thought. 'I guess I don't deserve to be happy.'

The door opened and Lucius came through, he was checking up on her to make sure she had eaten her dinner...it was only half-eaten. "Didn't I tell you to eat?"

"I did."

"Don't make me spoon feed you like you're three...you've lost too much weight."

"Why do you care?"

"Just eat the damned food, woman!"

Hermione huffed and put the plate back on her lap and shoved the rest of the food in her mouth, then slammed the plate back down on the end table. "There, happy?"

"Don't be snide, my pretty little mudblood..."

"Why do you still call me that! Don't call me that...I'm a human being, and just because my parents were muggles, doesn't make me any less valuable."

Lucius only grinned.

"Eric understood...," she whispered, but then jumped when Lucius slammed his fist onto the table. "DON'T MENTION HIS NAME AGAIN!"

"WHY, YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME! WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF I MENTION SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY LOVES ME!"

"He cheated on you, Hermione!"

"You had something to do with it, I know you did! Why do you have to try and ruin my life! Haven't you done enough! You people took the one I loved the most in this whole world...you brought this misfortune on yourself and you have no right dragging me into it!" She started to hyperventelate...her head was dizzy and she fell on her knees again. Hermione's emotional state was causing her to become ill.

Lucius picked her up and placed her back on the bed, "I will have to call my Healer, he'll take a look at you."

Why was he doing this? Why was he taking such good care of her? It was just an act, it had to be. Someone like him couldn't possibly care about someone like her, a mudblood...a muggleborn. Still, when her head hit the pillow...she was out.

There were voices then, she heard a man...not Lucius, she overheard the conversation;

"Mr. Malfoy, she'll need to take special care. Her nerves are very bad based on the tests I gave. Ms. Granger suffers from exhaustion and her stress level is extremely high...her small body can't handle it. Here, take this, she only needs a few drops in her tea or food...give this to her twice daily, it will insure she rests, though she'll be in a slighly lucid state. I will be back to visit in another two weeks and see how Ms. Granger is."

"Thank you," Lucius bowed and let the Healer out. He would have to cancel his arrangements for tomorrow, how annoying. He came back and instead of putting the drop in her food, since she was out already, he tilted her head back and put it underneath her tongue. Hermione almost made a face that caused him to chuckle, it tasted aweful, but immediately her body relaxed.

"Wh..why are you doing this? Why are you even taking care of me?" Hermione could barely form a sentence.

"I need to take care of my future, don't I?" Lucius drawled.

"How am I your future?" she tried to furrow her brow.

He petted her body, "you are going to do far more than just secure me a place back in society, my dear girl." 


	11. Look a like

Chapter 11

Hermione rested for most of the week, she was in a lucid state like she wasn't even in her body and everything was a dream. She barely responded to Lucius who frequently held her and kissed her, he wanted to so much more but thought that it would be better if she were actually aware for the whole experience, he loved her reactions. Hermione had gained one pound since she had been in Lucius's care, but that was all and he wasn't happy about it. Her nerves seemed to keep her from even gaining weight.

One time she looked in the mirror and looked slightly glassy eyed like she was drunk, she hated it. "Take me off this," Hermione pleaded.

"No, the Healer said to keep you on this for two weeks and that is what I'm doing."

"I don't understand you, don't you hate me? Why would you even care?"

Lucius still didn't answer her.

Hermione would only grow frustrated, yet she couldn't do much more than that. He touched her face and stood very close to her, her eyes meeting his. Lucius's touch suddenly became more aggressive, he didn't want to wait anymore and slowly started to undress himself. She didn't know what to do...she didn't want to but the potion made her very slow in response, Hermione tried anyway, only for him to easily catch her and gently take off her dress, then her bra. All she could do was stand there and blush, not knowing what how to react at that moment, simply watching as Lucius removed his clothing...his muscular body, Hermione had forgotten.

He held their bodies close together, she could feel his member, it was very warm and hard...so was the rest of his body. Lucius felt her lay her head on his chest, just her touch ran chills down his spine. Did she know how powerful she was? Highly doubtful. He leaned down to kiss her forehead and then her lips, telling himself to be as gentle as possible, though it normally wasn't his style. As far as he was concerned, sex was that of an animal instinct and should be respected as such, he didn't believe in rediculous over-romantisized versions of the act. Though he did indulge in Naricissa's fantasies once in a while.

He laid Hermione down on the bed, she was trembling as he kissed every part of her womanhood, as he kissed every inch of her breasts. Spreading her legs wide, he noticed her excitement and knew she was ready to take him. Lucius plunged into her slowly, breathing heavy as he did...she felt tight and wet and it nearly caused him to climax before he got started. Hermione arched her back, he felt good, they way he filled her up...she could feel every inch of him, the texture of him and as he started to thrust, she looked up to find his face flush and his lips red with excitement. Hermione reached up to kiss him and he met her mouth with his, curling his body around her's, making the thrusts deep as possible and she gasped as he did so.

"You like that, don't you?" he purred. "I like it very much myself."

Finally she was climaxing hard, Lucius tried to hang on but couldn't...he'd gone too long without his mudblood to be able to. They both cried out and hung on to each other until it was finished. He nuzzled her and kissed her, his sweat glistening from the gleam of the fireplace. Hermione rested in his arms and let him kiss her and love on her, she was too tired to fight it.

"Why?" she whispered.

"I not only want my place back in society, I want EVERYTHING back. I want an heir...I want a family."

"There are pure-bloods."

"...who are not as powerful as you, who are not as beautiful as you have become. The war has taught me many things, dear girl, that blood isn't that important after all...not when it comes to this. The Dark Lord was a half-blood and he still managed to take control over many pure-bloods, the only thing we had in common was the fact we wanted a certain kind of society...well, that obviously didn't work out, did it? I am not a stupid man, and even though I still have my opinions, I know to keep them to myself from now on. You are my exception to the rule, you are the best and a Malfoy gets the best."

"I can't do this...," she started to tear.

"You can and you will."

* * *

Eric went down the street, he was determined to find The Leaky Couldron, she said it looked like an old abandoned building to muggles. He found it, the dark building looked like nothing. Looking around, he opened the door and was suprised that it was a bar, there were people with strange clothing on, and he of course, didn't look like them and was given looks. The barkeeper looked at him...he instantly knew he was a muggle, and either the person he knew was a witch or he stumbled into it by accident.

"Oi, what do you want?"

Eric came to the bar, "I'm looking for Hermione Granger, she's a witch and she's been taken."

"So you know about our kind, do you?"

"Yeah, what of it!"

There was a red headed figure in the background that took a serious interest, Ron. Where was Hermione? The man, he looked just like Harry...but he couldn't be Harry. He didn't wear glasses and he definately didn't have the scar either. Yet...he looked very much like his best friend. He listened to the rest of the conversation.

"What of it! You're a muggle, ain't ya?"

"Yes. I just need to find my girlfriend...she...I believe she was taken by Lucius Malfoy, do you know him?"

Suddenly the bar got very quiet...obvious he had said something that triggered the reaction, the name of an infamous Death Eater.

The barkeeper turned to him, "I suggest you walk right out that door...you don't want him after ya. He doesn't like muggles...I don't care what the Ministry says, he hasn't changed his ways."

"I know. But...Hermione is in trouble."

"Even if she is...he wouldn't let you have her...the best you could do is go to the Ministry, but they my modify your memory of this whole situation and make you forget her...so it's up to you."

Eric turned around and saw the others looking at him, he didn't know what to do. He was frustrated and wanted to hit something. He started to leave and heard someone calling after, "OI, stop!" Eric continued to walk out. "I SAID STOP!"

He turned around to find a red headed male around his age staring at him, "who are you!"

"I'm Ron...Ron Weasley, did Hermione mention me?"

"Yeah, she did..."

"What's going on with her?"

"I don't know, that's what I came to find out. She's disappeared. The police came and her house had been torn apart and they found a few white blonde hairs on the floor...she told me about a Lucius Malfoy and how head white blonde hair...she said that he was possibly still after her...do you know anything about it?"

"No...she never told me...why wouldn't she tell me?"

"Maybe because you just up and abandoned her!" Eric snapped.

Ron thought this was so surreal, he looked like Harry...he even sounded like Harry...it was like Harry was telling him this, "look...we got into it and...well, surely you understand."

"Not really. I want to know where she is..."

"I don't know even know that...the only thing I can think of where she would be kept if he had her...would be Malfoy Manor, but if he got to her...she could be...," Ron looked down and furrowed his brow...what had they done, leaving her all alone? "I'll tell you what, come with me to my home and we'll talk more."

Eric raised an eyebrow to the request.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything...I'm just as worried about Hermione as you are."

"Alright then..."

* * *

Eric had to sit down, he just experienced the wierdest feeling of his life...apparation. "That was really strange," he said.

"I know...take a while to get used to the feeling. Let me call my sister, GINNY!"

Ginny came down after a few moments and she nearly fainted, backing up into the staircase, "H...HARRY?"

Ron stepped forward, "no, Ginny...this is Eric...this is Hermione's boyfriend."

The look on Ginny's face was that of amazement and shock, "but he looks so much..."

"Like Harry Potter, I know...Hermoine told me," Eric finished.

"Is THAT why she selected you!" Ginny's face had turned dark.

"GINNY!" Ron snapped.

"As a matter of fact...NO. I had to win her, she explained everything to me...and we've worked it out."

"I bet."

"Don't be bitter with me. I know what happened, alright?" Eric was annoyed now.

"So you know she stole my Harry from me."

"I know they fell in love and that things happened. I know she felt horrible about it, and I know how you practicallye kicked the shit out of her the night you found out...she had bruises all over her body, she didn't want me to see them..."

Ron looked at Ginny, "is this true? Did you attack Hermione...?"

Eric finished, "she didn't even defend herself because she felt so aweful, that she deserved those bruises. The person you should have wanted to take that out on was Harry, but he wasn't there, was he? So you felt free to take it out on my Hermione," Eric had his jaw clenched.

"Ginny...?" Ron wanted answers but Ginny only put her head down, casting her eyes to the floor.

"She...she made me so angry, she didn't tell us the truth!"

"So you went ahead and beat the shit out of her! Why didn't you stop...especially when you realized she wasn't defending herself! You HAD to have realized that!"

"I don't know," she sobbed and put her face in her hands. "I just...I couldn't understand what happened."

Ron shook his head, "it doesn't matter now..."

"What do you mean?"

"Hermione's been taken by Lucius Malfoy."

"WHAT! But...he can't do that...the ministry is watching him!"

"I don't know...I..."

Eric stepped forward more, "please...you have to help me get Hermione back."

Ginny only nodded. How unfair it was; there this man stood who looked and talked just like Harry..and Hermione got him again...in a way, she got Harry again. But despite all of it, it didn't matter now, now Hermione was missing and it was a grave possibility that Lucius Malfoy had her. "What can we do?"

"You have a Ministry of Magic? Can you go to them?"

"We can...because Hermione and I are war heroes, they're more likely to listen to us. We can talk with the Minister...but Hermione will have to confirm that you and her are together, but Malfoy is sneaky as hell and, well, we'd have to do this carefully," Ron furrowed his brow.

"I understand," Eric nodded.

"Our concern is also for your safety...he knows people, aweful people that would do terrible things to you Har...uh, Eric," Ginny caught herself, Eric raised an eyebrow. "Sorry. We can do that tomorrow...it's late now and they wouldn't be in the offices. You're welcome to stay here for the night, I'll make dinner..."

Ron sat down, "this is interesting...to be honest, I didn't expect Hermione to date anyone for a long time. She went through a rough time after the war. I mean, now I understand...because of Harry, she was there when he died, you know. It had to be very hard for her. But I'm glad she met you, Eric...you seem like you really love her."

"I do," these were words that he hoped to be saying in a chapel somewhere...someday.

"Good."


	12. Face Off

Chapter 12

Eric layed in bed, his eyes looking up, hearing noises of a ghost that the Weasley's appearently had...Ginny told him to ignore it. There was a soft knock. "Come in," he said quietly. It was Ginny. He wanted to roll his eyes, the woman had been staring at him all night...he knew he looked like this Harry Potter fellow and they said he would most likely get a reaction from most people, to be prepared to be treated with shock.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to check up on you...," she said softly.

"At 11 o'clock?"

"Yes, the ghost is rather loud tonight."

"I'm fine."

"About Hermione...I wanted to say that I'm sorry for treating her like that. I just never really got to say goodbye to him, and it always hurt because he'd grown distant from me and never really knew why. Then when I found those pictures...it made sense and I grew angry, I can have a nasty temper unfortunately. I was going to write Hermione back..."

"I think these are things you need to say to Hermione," Eric stated. He knew why she was really there, because all over this place, there were moving pictures of Harry, Ron, and Hermione...some of Ginny and Harry. He couldn't help that he looked like the man.

"I know...I guess I wanted to tell you because I know you love her, and I didn't want you to think that I didn't."

"I'm not him..."

"I understand that, and I'm sorry I kept staring, it was rude of me. I know everyone has a twin...but it's uncanny. Anyway, how did you and Hermione meet?"

"At a dance studio, I teach dance and dance in competitions...she came for lessons."

"I guess that explains her figure, she'd gotten very lean."

"Yes, it does that. But I think we should go to bed now," Eric had his guard up, he was in a strange place and didn't know the people. They seemed very friendly and genuinely cared for Hermione. Ginny put her head down and started to close the door but before she did he said, "I love Hermione very much."

"I know you do. I can tell...no muggle has been as bold as you, crossing over into the wizarding world to find her. This place is normally off limits and we keep it hidden from most muggles."

"Why?"

"Well...because we can do so many things by magic. We have found that muggles will misuse our talents often, and very few of them know about us. Occasionally, couples like you and Hermione will get together. She trusted you enough to reveal herself to you and so that says a lot about your character. So we figured, if she trusted you...so could we."

He nodded, "thank you for helping me."

"I'd do anything for Hermione...Lucius Malfoy is a very dangerous man, I have to warn you now...he won't let her go without a fight. If he has her, there's a reason, although I couldn't tell you what it is. It was supposed to be over, a lot of lives were lost in the war, including my father's and one of my brothers."

"Then it was worse than what she made it sound."

"She spared you most of he gory details, but yes, it was very bad. Because you're a muggle, we will do our best to protect you, I'm sure the Ministry will too."

"Lucius Malfoy would attack me?" Eric sneered.

"I wouldn't doubt it. Because he'll not only see you as a threat as far as accusing him of taking Hermione, but he will see you as his former enemy...Harry Potter. You are as bold and as tenacious as he was, something he always hated. Malfoy does not like to be challenged, so, be careful. Even if you got Hermione back, you all should leave wherever you are...it won't be safe. No matter what safety procautions the Ministry provides, you should go far away...just the fact that you're a muggle will be enough to provoke retaliation."

"I see..."

"Anyway...I hope we get her back soon."

"Me too."

* * *

The next day, Eric, Ginny, and Ron went to see the Minister...he was appalled by what he saw. It wasn't Harry Potter, Ron explained it all...but the Minister couldn't tear his eyes away, "amazing."

"Yes, i've gotten that a lot lately," Eric drawled. He was getting annoyed, the sooner he got Hermione, the sooner he could leave and get back to his normal life, even though it wouldn't be quite normal anymore...not with Hermione, but that he didn't mind.

The Minister leaned back with a slight grin, "so you think that Lucius Malfoy took her?"

"The muggle police found platinum blonde hairs on the floor...plus this," Eric took out some of the tea that was found. The Minister being a former Auror looked at it and examined it carefully, "I recognize this combination...it's a traquilizer, used to immobilize a dark wizard's victim. It doesn't need much and works on the body quickly...it's illegal." He seemed to grin wider.

"I take it this is a good thing?" Ron tilted his head in annoyance, they needed to get to the point.

"Oh yes...if we can prove he stole Hermione Granger, he'll end up in Azakaban where he belongs. I wanted that bastard in there for quite some time...but we have a jury and unfortunately, he had 'convinced' them that he had changed his ways once more. But this...this would put him away."

Ginny looked down and started to tear...,"could she be...?"

"No, we monitor is wand, no such spell has been used as far as we know. Not even for torture, so what he's doing, we have no idea. But it looks like with the muggle evidence we've collected, we have enough to confirm he was there...I'll send the owl immediately. We'll 'request' his presence along with Hermione and see what happens. Wait here," the Minister left.

Lucius watched Hermione's sleeping form, his pretty little mudblood was laying naked, the covers half over her body, revealing the soft skin of her back and arms, the delicate neck that had his mark on it. He traced his hand down her spine, she moved only slightly...but he growled as his concentration was broken by a 'tap' on the window. Lucius recognized the owl, it was from the Ministry, "what do they want now!"

Getting up, he grabbed his robe and nearly slammed open the window. He took the letter from the owl's leg and read it;

_Mr. Malfoy,_

It has come to our attention that you have Hermione Granger at your home. We request to see you immediately so that we can properly determine your relationship as one of volentary action. Please respond immediately.

The Ministry of Magic

* * *

Lucius wadded up the annoying letter and wrote back his reply. He would be there and he'd bring Hermione, then show the fools his mark, they couldn't dispute it.

* * *

... Eric paced back and fourth until finally the Minister came with the reply, "he's on his way, he should be here within a few hours. What I want you to do is not be in the room at the very moment he shows up. I want to talk with him first and then I want you to state your claim."

"You're desperate to get him in Azkaban?" Eric grinned.

"I've been wanting him in Azkaban since the beginning. He got away with everything when he was younger, claiming that he had changed his ways...he never changed his ways and I knew it. I could detect a lie a mile away, I watched him lie and they fell for it all...most likely promising generous donations and the like to get his way. Dumbledore saw through him too...but once the jury made their decision, there wasn't much he could do either."

"Dumbledore was the former headmaster at Hogwart's, right?"

"Ms. Granger educated you a lot on the wizarding world...probably because well, just in case you were mistaken for Harry Potter, she wanted you to understand why."

"I suppose. But again, all I want is Hermione back and we'll be on our way..."

"Alright..alright."

Now all they had to do was wait.

* * *

... Hermione was practically dragged with Lucius to the Ministry, he entered the office and stood in front of the former Auror's desk in annoyance. "You called?" he drawled.

"Yes...I understand you have Ms. Granger?"

"I do."

"I understand that she has been with you for the past few days?"

"She has."

"Willingly?"

"Minister, what is your point? I have marked her as property, you of all people know the laws," Lucius put Hermione in front of him and moved her neck to show the purplish mark.

"I have a young man here disputing your claim, saying that she was taken while they were together."

"I don't know what you mean," Lucius narrowed his eyes.

"Sure you don't. You can come out now..." The three came out with looks of anger on their faces, there stood the two red headed Weasleys and the muggle...Eric. "Eric collected some interesting evidence from the muggle police that sort of implicates you."

"Eric," Hermione tried to go to him and he tried to go to her, but Lucius's grip on her tightend and she was thrusted back into his chest. Eric glared.

"And what if it does! She was marked before then!"

"From what I understand, the mark had faded...and you know as well as I do that when it fades, it it's not administered again, the pure-blood gives up all rights. Therefore, making his mistress a free woman, and if she's dating anyone else and is taken...it's still considered a crime," the Minster stood with a smug look on his face.

"Then the muggle was lying. That mark was on her when I got to her...it only started to fade, she hid it from him with makeup."

"Oh now, Mr. Malfoy, that mark can't be hidden, not even with makeup...it can dull it..but it can't hide it, it's designed so it can't be. So if he couldn't see it...it faded."

Lucius gritted his teeth, "do you THINK I am going to give up my property so easily!"

Eric's temper snapped, "SHE'S NOT PROPERTY!"

"Oh please, I know you view her the same way...remember the 'rules' you set for her?"

"You eaves dropped on our conversation!"

"I have a right to know what's going on with her...," Lucius grinned.

"Not anymore you don't," the Minister interrupted.

"WHAT?"

"As of now, the mark is null and void...she is to be returned to her loved ones, NOW."

"NO!" Lucius stepped back with her and Hermione was being dragged. Eric noticed how drugged she looked, her eyes were glassy and she seemed weak. He had been giving her something...

"What have you done to her!"

"She's under a calming drought, her nerves are bad!"

"Gee, wonder why!" Ron snapped.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm only going to ask one more time...let her go. If you do not, I will arrest you. I can let it go one time...you were ignorant in the fact that if it faded, you lost claim. But you had better let her go now...after all, I've been waiting many years to put you back where you belong. I was there the first time you were persecuted and you conviced the jury that you had repented your ways. I know you never did...so please, give me a reason," the Minister hissed.

"Fine," Lucius literally threw her on the ground with a loud 'thud'. He looked down his nose at her.

Eric wanted to beat him but was held back by Ron, "don't...do yourself a favor and just don't."

Lucius only grinned, "yes...do yourself a favor, Eric...but then again, you could always give me a reason to defend myself."

Eric narrowed his eyes and then went to Hermione and picked her up, "Hermione, are you alright?"

"Eric," she held on to him tightly.

"Good move, Lucius Malfoy. Now, you may go...and I don't want you near any of them again or I swear, I'll put you in Azkaban!"

Lucius left and shut the door, this was far from over...that muggle was going to pay. Already another plan formed, he was not one to let what was his, go...and Hermione was his, no matter how many Harry Potter look-a-likes there were. Yes, and if he could help...he'd kill the rest of the Weasleys too, there would be no ending to the suffering they would endure.

* * *

... "Why did you let him go!" Ginny snapped.

"He'll screw up again, I can assure you. He's a stubborn and vicious man, Ms. Weasley, and he won't let this go. I couldn't prove he didn't know about the fading 'loop hole', so, I set up something else," the Minister grinned.

"So you put Hermione and Eric up as bait!" Ron glared.

"They'll be protected, but it looks like the best thing for her is rest."

Eric nodded, he was so happy to have her back and cradled Hermione as if she was the most precious thing in the world. 


	13. The Issues at Hand

**Warning: Major sex scene coming up. Avert your eyes...**

Chapter 13

Hermione rested in the Weasley's home, she slept for a full day with Eric by her side most of the time, then he'd take a break and talk with Ron about Harry and what he was like. He felt a kinship with this wizard that died so bravely and began to feel flattered that he looked like the fallen hero. Eric decided that there was nothing wrong with looking like a good person after all.

Ginny however, avoided him. Several times she had accidentally called him Harry and chastized herself. Eric confronted her and decided to let her get her feelings out, he felt he had to do this for some reason, maybe it was the spirit of Harry that was cohersing him to do it, but maybe if she did, she'd be at peace finally.

"You never got to say goodbye to him..."

Ginny shook her head and avoided eye contact as she washed the dishes.

"What did you want to say to him?"

She furrowed her brow and almost looked like she wasnted to cry for a second, "I just wanted to know why he chose Hermione over me, what happened? That's all...I might have understood, but I'm not sure. I thought I was over him, I mean, not in the traditional sense, but excepted his death...and then when I saw the pictures of him and Hermione...it just came back and made sense. I loved him for a long time, but I understood his path and where it might be headed, I prepared for the possibility that he might not come back. I guess I was more jealous of Hermione, not just because she had a hidden relationship with him, but because she was there for everything he was going through, she was there when he died and I wasn't."

"That kind of things just happens, you know? When people go through traumatic things, sometimes in the heat of it all, things just come together in a way you didn't expect. When I first saw Hermione, I fell in love with her...I didn't mean to, and I definately didn't want to..."

"WHY? What's wrong with Hermione!" Ginny glared.

"N..nothing. I just...was afraid, when I saw her she intimidated me, she wasn't afraid of me like some of the other students, she challenged me and it only made me fall in love with her more. In the middle of it all...it just happened is what I'm saying, I guess."

"She's a good person..."

"As are you. I'm sure he didn't mean for any of it to happen. Harry sounded like a sincere person."

"He was," she said softly.

"Well, I'm going to go check on Hermione again," he smiled and went up the stairs.

Ginny looked down and smiled, it was nice of him to talk with her about him.

* * *

Eric entered the room to find Hermione sitting up and wondering how she got there, "hi."

"Hi," she smiled and then started to cry. He ran to her side and hugged her, "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what?"

"I didn't mean to make you worry...I didn't think you'd come, that you would never find me...I believed you would just assume I was dead and I'd never see you again."

"Oh, Hermione, I'd never give up on you... If anyone I should be sorry, it's me...what happened with that woman...," Eric started to cry. "I've never...I wasn't even interested..."

"I know it wasn't your fault, Lucius put her up to it...," Hermione whispered.

He pulled his head back, "what?"

"Lucius put her up to it. I know he did...he said things to me that he knew people that owed him favors. She was most likely one of them. That's what I meant when I said you wouldn't know...your body would react, but your mind would scream at you to 'stop' or you may do things that you don't know why you're doing them but are compelled to do them anyway. I know you wouldn't consciously cheat on me."

"I love you so much...marry me?"

"W..what?"

"Marry me, Hermione...," Eric kissed her hard on the mouth.

This was her second chance at happiness, Eric, Eric was her savior, without him, no one would have known that she was taken by Lucius...he braved this world to get her back..., "yes...yes, I'll marry you."

He leaned her back, "are you well enough... I know he had to have...?"

"Yes...," Hermione initiated the kissing and pulled him down. She wanted Eric more than ever, she needed him, depended on him, she didn't know that until Lucius took her.

He was careful with her, gentle as he stripped her and himself until they were both completely naked. Eric licked and sucked gently on her breasts and was careful when he traced over her womanhood, using his fingers to arouse her. His breath was becoming labored as he kissed her, his face was warm and his hard on was raging now. Finally he flipped her top of him. "Make love to me now," he hissed. He was giving her control, Lucius had to have taken advantage of her and didn't want her to feel like she had to have sex with him.

Hermione nodded, she was aroused to the point of desperation also, and slowly slid his member inside of her, it was large and warm, and she smiled when he arched his back slightly and groaned in great pleasure, "fuck me senseless, my little witch..."

It was the way he said it that turned her on, Eric was associating what she was with sex, primal sex and she was going to give him what he wanted. Witches has always been viewed by the church as great tempresses, and the fact that he was considering her to be one was flattering. Hermione pushed down hard on him as he thrusted hard up, Eric made a face of pain, but she knew it was pleasure, especially when she squeezed her walls around his length...a little trick she learned while reading about sexual positions. He was biting his lip as he ground into her, hanging on to her hips, loving the feel of her skin, and then she was bouncing off him, the sound of skin slapping together aroused him further and he didn't know how much longer he could hold on.

Soon he didn't have to, he could feel her walls beating fast against him, her face flushed and she started to buck wildly. Eric gritted his teeth as he went faster, forcing her hips to do the same, he looked up as she yelled out and he only grinned, his teeth still gritted slightly, "cum my little witch...cum all over it!" Finally he came and his body jerked up, his orgasm was so intense he thought he was going to have a headache afterward.

They collapsed next to each other, breathing hard and they started to giggle again. "Wow," he smiled. She couldn't help but smile broader. "What I said didn't offend you did it...me calling you 'my little witch'?"

"No...because it's true, I am yours...forever now."

"Yes you are," Eric grabbed her and held her. "I love you, Hermione."

* * *

They finally came down for lunch, Ginny grinned...she kenw what they were doing, she accidentally heard it when putting laundry away. They all sat down, Ron was happy for Hermione, though he wondered if she wasn't dating Eric because he looked like Harry, but she called him 'Eric' and treated him a little bit different than Harry, so she knew the difference, unlike his sister.

Eric tapped his glass with his fork and then stood up, "I have an announcement..."

Ron and Ginny looked up in curiousity, but Hermione blushed.

"Hermione and I are getting married," he looked down as she looked up and smiled.

"That's wonderful, Hermione...," Ginny's voice was slightly sincere, there was still pain behind it.

"It is...but how will you be married, the muggle way or the wizarding?" Ron smiled, but again, the smile seemed forced.

"Well, I'm figuring both...we can get married the muggle way and then here."

Ginny crossed her arms, "do you really have the money to afford both?"

"Ginny!" Ron looked at his sister, the money aspect of it was really none of her business.

Eric slightly glared at her, "as a matter of fact, I am quite well off...thank you."

"And I have money too, Ginny...," Hermione didn't want Eric to pay for it all!

"Alright then...good for you," Ginny got up and started stacking the dishes. At first she was happy for Hermione, she was starting to maybe forgive everything and now...now she was getting married to not only a 'Harry' look-a-like, but a wealthy one at that! Jealousy set in and it wasn't like her to be jealous of Hermione...but for some reason she was.

Ron looked at his sister as if she'd gone completely insane, "we'll you excuse us?" He forced Ginny off to a remote corner of the kitchen. "What is wrong with you!"

"You can't tell me you're happy about it."

"I didn't say I was extactic about it, he's a muggle that looks like Harry and yes, I question whether or not she's with him because of that, but watching her...I think she knows. You're treating it as if she's marrying the actual HARRY!"

"She WAS going to marry the actual Harry...oh wait, but then he died and now she has a fill in," Ginny hissed.

"Oh, I get it now."

"What!"

"You're jealous that she's happy, you're jealous because her and Harry were together...yes, they betrayed us in that sense, but knowing Hermione as we do...in all fairness, she didn't want to hurt us because we were already going through enough as it was. Now you see her getting a second chance at happiness and you can't stand it because it isn't you. You weren't there Ginny, I hate to remind you of that...everything me, Harry, and Hermione went through."

"I stayed because Harry wanted me to, otherwise I would have been there with you."

"I know," Ron said softly. "But we're going to have to forgive this."

"How do I know he didn't ask me to stay because he was in love with her in the first place!"

"Because he wasn't," Hermione interjected with a sullen look.

"Hermione," Ron blushed.

"It happened a while later...and I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen, and I fought it a lot at first, both of us did...but then it just happened. Please, I don't want you to think that I would ever hurt you intentionally...I want us to be friends forever. I want you to be in my wedding, you have to help me plan...you and your mother."

Ginny crossed her arms and looked down, Ron rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Hermione..."

"Haven't you put her through enough!" Eric stepped in behind Hermione. She looked up at his in suprise. "She's apoligized about a million times, oh...and let's not forget that she LET YOU beat her seneseless."

"Harry...I," Ginny stopped herself again, her eyes filled with tears.

"Ginny, he's not Harry!" Hermione snapped. "Is this why? In your mind he looks so much like him that you think you're dealing with Harry and I...but it's Eric and I!"

She blushed, "maybe you should go."

"No, they're not going anywhere!" Ron snapped. "Did you forget that Lucius Malfoy would be hunting them! They need to stay here where it's safe!"

"Ginny...please, I'm not him and you need to let go of him. I'm sorry I look like the man, but there's really not much I can do about it. Please, why don't you and Hermione talk for a while...Ron and I can do something, though I wouldn't know what there is to do in the wizarding world."

"We'll find you something...do you know anything about Quidditch?"

"What's Quidditch...?"

"I'll show you...," Ron smiled.

Ginny and Hermione rolled their eyes...Hermione was terrified that he'd turn into a total Quidditch nut. Muggle males tended to like it a lot once their wives introduced the sport to them.

"We need to talk," Ginny said sternly.

"I know." 


	14. Under Threat

Chapter 14

They walked along the designated path, Ron and Eric didn't want them wandering around too far. Hermione told Ginny the story of how Harry and her got together...

_ "Hermione?" Harry looked at her as she was going over plans._

"Hmm?"

"Do...do you ever wonder what it would be like if you and I got together?"

She stopped for a second, maybe it was one of those questions you just wonder about during stressful times? She decided not to answer.

"Hermione?"

"I...I don't know...I never really thought about it," she was lying.

"You're a bad liar," Harry came closer to her but she backed away.

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Because I've been thinking... I just feel closer to you and I don't know exactly what it is..."

"Don't," Hermione snapped.

"Don't what?"

"Don't do this...whatever it is. Ginny is my best friend and she...she loves you a lot."

"I know," Harry looked down. "I feel terrible about this...but I just don't love her like I should, I view her as someone that I care a lot about, but more as a sister."

"You're just under stress, Harry...it's hard being away from the people you love and...," before she could finish her sentence, Harry kissed her. Hermione tried to push away but he only held her tighter, forcing her to him, making her confirm how she felt about him and soon she was kissing him back as passionately as she could. All the feelings came pouring out and after the heated make out session that almost became something else...she started to cry.

"Hermione," Harry said softly.

"What are we going to do? They're our friends...and they care about us?"

"We have to tell them the truth, no matter how much it hurts...I can't go on like this, I have these feelings only for you and I can't pretend anymore."

* * *

Ginny didn't know what to say but wanted to say something, "it makes sense, you know? His distance in his letters. At first I thought it was because of all that was going on, he was distracted...he said he had something important to tell me, and now I know what that was."

"Are you...okay?"

"I think so. Now that I realize he was going to move on without me, it's okay for me to move on without him. I've been seeing Neville Longbottom a lot lately and I felt guilty, but now I don't have to, I know Harry would have wanted it that way..."

Hermione nodded her head, but suddenly Ginny grabbed her arm...Hermione looked over in suprised and wondered why Ginny looked so nervous. Lucius Malfoy stood ahead of the path and he was livid.

"Oh God," Hermione whispered.

Ginny placed Hermione behind her, "what are you doing here! You're supposed to stay away from her!" She pulled out her wand.

"Really Ms. Weasley, I was just taking a walk...this is mere coincedence," he narrowed his eyes.

"Sure it is!"

"It is..."

"Then move on before I call the Aurors!"

"Ms. Weasley, do you think you're that fast?"

Hermione held Ginny's hand tighter, "Ginny..."

"You leave us alone! You can't do anything now...she's getting married! You can't touch her!"

Lucius's eyes widened and then narrowed, "congratulations." He looked fierce and dangerous, he didn't mean it...but that was obvious to anyone who knew the situation at hand.

"You leave us alone!" Ginny's temper flared, she wanted to curse this git into the next century. He was one of the reasons Harry was dead, one of the reasons why she lost her brother and her father...and one of the reasons why she almost lost her best friend. "Go on!"

"Fine," he started to walk past them, but quickly turned and disarmed Ginny, shoving to the ground and knocking her senseless, he grabbed Hermione.

"Let me go!"

"Tell me, my pretty little mudblood...do YOU THINK it's going to be that easy? DO YOU THINK you're just going to get away...no, my precious little girl, you won't."

"The Aurors will have your head!"

"Not if that can't find it...but trust me, when I'm ready...you won't know it until I strike," Lucius held her head to his face, his lips caressing her cheek, she could feel his breath. "I will take everything you have and you won't even know I've done it. You'll be mine forever, you can count on that. But until then...," Lucius dropped Hermione on her backside and apparated.

Hermione crawled over to Ginny, "GINNY! Ginny, are you okay!"

Ginny rolled over and groaned, "Hermione..." She shot up when she realized what just happened, "HERMIONE! Are you okay!" She looked all over Hermione like Mrs. Weasley always did. Hermione grinned for a moment.

"Yes, are you hurt?"

"No...we have to notify the Ministry and right now."

Hermione nodded.

* * *

Eric paced back and forth, "that's it...we have to get away from here! We'll have the wedding in both places right away and we'll go away. Ron said something about making our home 'unplottable'?"

Hermione nodded, "no one can find it unless they know the address..."

"We'll do that then, and the Ministry we'll take care of Lucius?"

"They're already headed to his house right now..."

* * *

... The Aurors and the Minister broke down the door and disarmed the protective charms, but Lucius Malfoy was nowhere to be found. His bank accounts were completely drained, special books were missing that they were sure contained family secrets, such as ancient and dark spells, the vaults containing other items were cleared out...Lucius Malfoy had vanished and they had no way of finding out where, he didn't use the floo network, that could be too easily tracked. He was gone.

* * *

... Hermione panicked when she found out the news, "what do we do now!"

"The only thing we can do is keep you under protection, he's a determined man...but for now we can only assume that you're safe because he's not foolish enough to strik right away. He knows we're looking for him, he knows that we have ways of detecting polyjuice potion and the like," the Minister crossed his arms.

"So, we can get married?" Eric asked quietly.

"Yes, we'll put the wedding under protective watch and watch over the honeymoon as well...but we'll be discreet as possible in that area so you can enjoy yourselves still. Like I said, he won't be foolish enough to strike so soon."

They nodded and immediately started to make plans. Eric's father was extatic of course, he hurried the wedding and booked the church as soon as it was available...one month from now. Eric felt it wasn't soon enough, but to Hermione, it gave her more time to plan with Ginny who was a nervous wreck because she had to get the wedding cake and plan engagement parties, "damn that Lucius Malfoy! Causing me to have to rush everything...how am I supposed to make a wonderful engagement party for you on such short notice!"

Hermione laughed as did Eric. Eric's mother gladly volenteered, though she couldn't really understand why they were in such a rush, but love was love. Eric and Hermione felt it was better not to give the details of 'oh...well, we have an evil wizard after us!' That may not come out quite right...or sane.

Ginny was having fun despite it and often made fun of Hermione when she kept practicing her soon to be new name, "Mrs. Hermione Tellini...Mrs. Eric Tellini...Mrs. Hermione Granger Tellini...What?"

"Nothing..." 


	15. Astral

Chapter 15

The ceremonies on both sides were wonderful, Eric and Hermione danced close and lovingly with each other, she was happy, happier than she'd been in a long time. Finally, a sense of relief came over her, she was his and he was hers. They celebrated and danced, all those who had helped with the war were there and congradulated them, though some of them were slightly shocked at the look of this muggle. Eric handled it beautifully though, as long as Hermione didn't mistake him for Harry, that's all he really cared about...sometimes it annoyed him, but he let it go.

* * *

But someone else was watching...someone who knew when the wedding date was going to be and had spyed on them since the beginning. He knew how to get around the Aurors detection, he had learned. They were right about one thing, he wasn't going to attack now, no, Lucius Malfoy was a patient man and he would have his revenge on the muggle soon enough. In fact, he was studying Eric's every move, gesture, how he talked to Hermione...everything. It wasn't polyjuice potion he'd be using, the effect were too short for that, he had something more sinister in mind...one that would give him a new life.

Lucius went to his hide out, a small cave that his master once showed him, one that they never discovered. And there were his books, some of his money, a small bed, and he took baths in a nearby spring. He was researching, that special little spell that was forbidden by the Ministry, but one his family kept in case such a situation as this arose. Yes, he would have a new life, that's what he wanted and that is what Eric was going to give him. But he had to by some time and wait for it to all calm down, it could be a good month or so before he could do anything. Meanwhile, he would study the muggle. Lucius knew that he own magic would transfer over...that's all he wanted. He dispised the fact that he could lose it, but was happy when he found out further details.

Lucius continued to read the chapter on 'Soul Stealing and Body Snatching'.

* * *

Hermione could barely get up from the bed without Eric attacking her, "GOOD GODS! You're worse than you were while we were dating!"

"That's because you're my wife, you HAVE to give it up now...," he grinned mischieveously.

She rolled on top of him and smiled, "do I?"

"Yep..MRS. HERMIONE TELLINI." Eric held her tight, "I never thought I'd get married, Hermione...I really didn't. Before you...I thought that this was it, that all I'd be dating were these good-time girls that really weren't serious about anything. They'd give it up to any bloke that came along, and when they found out I had money...well, it was like catnip for them. Then you came along and I was so resistant at first, I thought my feelings for you were superficial, that you'd be like the rest, but you weren't. And then you ended up being so much more...it was like you were a gift. I prayed so hard, Hermione, for someone like you...every night I did, and now you're here..."

"Eric," Hermione started to tear and kissed his face, her kisses were extacy to him, a drug, he felt giddy and light. "I love you so much, Hermione."

They enjoyed their honeymoon, the Aurors stayed out of the way, but kept an eye on them...the couple barely knew they were there. They spent their time in Hawaii, exploring the culture, going to many events, making love all hours of the night. Then they would lay in bed and talk.

"Hermione...you said that your kind live to one hundred-fifty years? What will you do, since I'll only live to maybe ninety," Eric seemed sad.

"I can give you potions that will extend your life, if you want me to. You'll remain young for a very long time, it will connect us and you'll start to age when I do, and...well, we'll both die together. You don't have to, I mean, if you're not comfortable with me using magic on you."

"No...I would like that very much. I want to spend as much time with you as I can...I don't want to miss anything of our lives. And well, if our children end up being half-breeds...I know they'll live a long time too if they can do magic."

"Okay...how many children do you want anyway?"

"Ten," Eric rolled his eyes up and made a face.

"Be serious!"

"Alright two...maybe three."

"That's a bit better...," she smiled.

Eric nuzzled her neck, "we can always get started now..."

"In a few years, you...we need SOME time alone."

"Alright...alright.."

"Your parents want me knocked up already, don't they?"

"Pretty much." Eric did an impression of his father, doing the hand gestures as well, "I want see my grandchildren before I die!" Hermione laughed.

* * *

The Aurors scowerd the Malfoy Manor for any clue they could find, they even brought an empath and profiler, one that might be able to give a clue to where he might be.

"So, do you sense anything?" the squad leader asked.

"Only urgency...he had this planned out already, he knew that he would be reported and so he was prepared."

"He's a sneaky one... Tell me, WHY does he want Ms. Granger so much? He's a pure-blood...there are others, and he was doing well getting back into society on his own..."

"She understands him...," the profiler took her hand and touched one of the pens on Malfoy's desk.

"Am I missing something...?"

"It's more than just revenge or ownership, she understands his loss...he feels connected to her in some twisted way. Some of the other pure-bloods stayed out of the war and just hid, so he lost a lot of respect for them when he realized that they could never understand everything there was to gain or lose during the war. Hermione does...she was there and he sees her as a symbol of sorts. Something beautiful and pure that he could never obtain in the first place, but tried to. The shocker of it is...it seems...he felt this way about her beforehand, but they were on opposite sides, he respected her. Strange...isn't it?"

"Yes, very. But who knows how he thinks...the Malfoy family has always been unpredictable as the snakes they represented."

"He has plans but that is being kept from me...I just can't make it out," suddenly the profiler screamed in pain and held her forehead.

"WHAT!"

She collapsed on her knees as the squad leader came to her aid, "it's a spell...to keep from looking!"

"Alright, we're taking you to St. Mungo's! Men, get her out of here!" The rest of the Aurors took her away, "DAMN YOU TO HELL, MALFOY!"

* * *

Lucius practiced the spell, it was a dangerous one. If he screwed up any way, he could end up lost and never be able to return back to his body. The first thing he had to concentrate on was making sure he could find Eric anywhere, this had to take place at night when Eric was sleeping, when people were at their most vulnerable. But first he 'floated'...and found the house were they were at. The address was unknown, but he would find it, just like he did last time.

He landed outside the bedroom door, he couldn't go in and he gritted his teeth knowing why...they were making love. The rules with astral projection was simply, that whenver a couple was having an intimate moment, the person astral projecting couldn't intrude. There was a barrier put up...he could hear them though and it pissed him off. Lucius returned safely, he had practiced enough times where he thought he had it down, this was good. But he still had to lay low long enough to lull his mudblood into a state of security. Anything that was off about Eric, she would suspect something and he couldn't have that.

This saved him a lot of time...Eric and her were already married and in the wizarding world as well...it was irreversable, she would never get away from him again. Lucius would enjoy this, he would have a new life, walk the earth with no worries as to how people would react to him, and best of all...Eric was a good looking man, so he wasn't sacrifcing anything in that way, he was healthy and had a good figure. Lucius even studied dancing, muggle waltzes so he would know what to do, he practiced and watched muggle videos on competitions...nothing would get past him.

The only thing that he might change was his attitude towards certain things Hermione did. She would never wander around unescorted at night, she would never control the household...there were just things he would re-establish. He couldn't call her 'mudblood'...even though it was more of a nickname now, a pet name, but he couldn't do that anymore.

However, it was worth some loss because he would be gaining so much more. He would have Hermione, he would have plenty of money, including his own...making sure that the accounts were transferred in Eric's name, and he would be younger...starting over again, have children and yes, they'd come out magical. Yes, it would be perfect. 


	16. Switch

Chapter 16

When they got back from the honeymoon, everything seemed perfect...but lately, Eric had been struggling a lot in his sleep. She'd have to wake him sometimes, but when he tried to recall what happened, he couldn't. After a month had gone by things seemed to calm down just a tad and then one night, Eric was thrashing around violently, he was sweating as if he was fighting off someone.

"Eric!" Hermione tried wake him up but it wasn't working..."ERIC!"

This went on for nearly fifteen minutes until finally he stoppped and opened his eyes, they darted around the room. Hermione looked releaved, she watched as he got up and went to the mirror, looking at himself, checking his face, arms, legs...what was wrong with him? Did he have one of those dreams where you're being chased by something or something was attacking you? What was going on? He even looked down his pants and seemed impressed with what he saw...oh good grief, she was impressed and that should be good enough! Then he stopped and looked at her, a grin rose from his face...one that didn't seem like Eric at all.

"Hello, Hermione," he drawled.

"Uh...hello, are you alright?"

"I'm fine..now. Just fine," he crawled up on the bed, almost in a predator type way.

"Okay, well...let's go to sleep, we're going shopping tomorrow for your mother's birthday gift and then we're meeting them for dinner."

He didn't seem to be paying much attention, he just kept coming closer until he was on top of her, his hand pushed her down, "I just want a little romp before I go to bed...I can't sleep."

Hermione smiled at him and caressed his face, "alright." But as soon as she complied, he nearly attacked her, tearing off her clothing, causing her to squeak and the touched her naked body with his fingers expertly touching her sensitive areas. "Eric..."

Then he kissed and sucked on womanhood, he rarely did this, he wasn't much for it...but appearently this was one of those special occasions. Hermione had to thank that dream. Her body arched as she grabbed the pillows and moaned. "In the mood now?" he purred.

Hermione nodded.

He undressed completely and took her, everything was different in what he did...the way he made love was even more aggressive, he pinned her down and he never used to do that. Still, she paid it no mind, maybe he was trying something different? He was pressing into her like there was no tomorrow, then she kissed him lovingly, he jerked his head up in suprise...as if he didn't understand and then his look softened and kissed her back so deeply she swooned. He kissed well anyway but again, this was different.

They climaxed together and it was intense and afterwards he grabbed her and held her tightly. Hermione looked up at him, "that was different...were trying something new?"

"I'm trying a lot of things that are new, my dear girl."

Hermione shot her head up, "what did you just say?"

"My dear...," he paused. "I said 'my dear girl', was that wrong of me to say?"

"No. I guess not. You just sounded like someone I know...it's just me, don't worry about it," she petted his face, he seemed to purr. "So, what else are you thinking of doing?"

"I was thinking of growing my hair out, would you like long hair on me?"

She shrugged, "I could see it on you, with your dark hair it would make you look like a pirate." She giggled and kissed him.

Eric looked at her in bewilderment, "my...you are PLAYFUL, aren't you?"

Hermione again looked at him, "you've always known I was like that..."

"I know...I'm just making another observation. I like it...I like it very much, not many people get to see this side of you, do they?"

"No...I've been guarded for a long time. But I can be myself with you...I love you."

He petted her face and held onto her as she slept, his eyes looking past the window at his reflection...yes, Lucius would have to get used to his new body. He loved it, he saw a side of Hermione he would never see otherwise. The loving kisses he received from her...only that MUGGLE Eric got, well now HE got them. There was one thing, he'd have to get used to his new name, ERIC, such a muggle name...but it was worth the sacrafice.

* * *

The next morning, Lucius found Hermione still asleep in his arms, his new 'wife' was beautiful when she slept. She had no idea who he really was...and it was going to stay that way. By now the Ministry had found his body, he would be declared dead and she would wipe whatever old memories she had of him away.

He felt her stir, she looked up at him, "good morning, did you sleep better?"

"Yes, I did," he purred. This was extacy, she was so attentive to him. Not even Narcissa was that attentive.

Suddenly she started kissing his neck and looking at him a certain way...Lucius knew that look. Hermione started biting his neck which caused him to growl in lust, by the Gods, she WAS like a little rabbit after all, just not with him...but with this muggle, what did it matter now? Now he WAS Eric.

He took her like she wanted and it was fun, playful, and passionate sex. His little mudblood was a passionate lover, giving him pleasure first by sucking ferverently on his member, driving him wild until he absolutely had to have her. Finally after they both had their fill, she went to take a shower, he smiled...a true smile came from his lips. No Ministry on his back, no past to haunt him, he had everything he wanted...he even could cast magic, he waved his hand and brought his wand to him which he had hidden when he found out where they lived. Lucius twirled it inbetween his fingers, he examined his hands...young looking, his skin a little darker...he could get used to it.

The cane was hidden when he heard Hermione get out of the shower...he loved when she walked out in only her underwear, barely covering herself with a towel. "What?" she grinned.

"Nothing, just watching your lovely body...my turn to take a shower?"

"Yep, maybe we should have taken one together to save time," she said plainly.

"Maybe tonight."

Hermione went downstairs and paid the delivery owl for the Daily Prophet, she nearly dropped it. "Oh by the Gods," she whispered in shock.

Lucius came down, "what is it?"

"Look," Hermione handed him the paper. "Lucius Malfoy's body was found...he's dead."

"Well, that's interesting."

"I know, but they don't know how he died...it wasn't an unforgivable or anything...he just seemed like he went out. It's wierd..."

"Don't tell me you feel sorry for the man," Lucius made himself a cup of coffee...the muggle way.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I guess I do...it's just, he...I wish I knew why he wanted to keep me so badly. If he wanted to torture me, he would have...I guess I'll never know. Plus, his whole family was gone...it's just sad for anyone to live like that. But, at least he won't have to suffer anymore."

"What makes you think he suffered?" Lucius leaned back again the counter and arched an eyebrow.

"Who wouldn't suffer living like he did? It just seems like he was never really given any choice but to hate and...that's no way to live. It's not a life when you can't experience new things, when you're binded to a certain way of life that requires you to be a certain way. I don't think I could could live like that, but my parents gave me more freedom. Of course, someone like me wouldn't be allowed in his little circle...being a muggleborn...mudblood...whatever they want to call it."

"You almost sound...jealous?" Lucius grinned.

"Not really over anything like money...but influence I guess. He had a way of getting his way, where as Harry or I, no one would listen to us until it was too late. So, I guess I can admire his tenacity and diplomatic ways of handling people...knowing how they worked, moving them like puppets. But then again, the Ministry...," she almost huffed. "Bunch of morons..."

Lucius grinned even broader, she was flattering him.

"So, you liked how he handled people?"

"To some degree. His cruelty is well known...I know better than some...but those who were actually tortured by him, know better than me. I try not to think about what they went through before they were killed. The war was so tragic on both ends," she sighed.

"Perhaps he wanted you because you understood him, no one else really did?"

"How I could, I have no idea...whatever works."

Lucius looked at her, she went through the mail and neatly put aside the bills and then the junk mail in another pile, suddenly she felt like she was being studied and looked up, "what?"

"Nothing."

"That's the second time you've claimed it was 'nothing'. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Very."

She shrugged, "okay, let's go..." Hermione grabbed his hand and led him out the door. Lucius followed, how he loved this...how free he felt...and how much he loved the fact that Hermione was treating him with such attentivness and kindness...love, it was love.


	17. Small Changes

**Alright, someone informed me that I had the anonymous revies disabled, I've enabled them, so whether you're reading this story just because, or you're actually have an account, you can make a review. Sorry about that. I hope you all enjoy it.**

Chapter 17

Lucius sat there and watched them all laughing, and though he smiled, he could tell that the elder male could tell something was off about him.

"Are you alright son?" Eduardo asked gently.

Hermione hugged his arm, "he hasn't been sleeping well lately."

"Oh...you said you were having those bad dreams, are they better now?"

"Much," Lucius drawled.

"Good, good...so, how was the honeymoon?"

"Excellent."

Eduardo eyed him, yes...something was off. Normally Eric would be telling him nearly every detail and would show much more excitement, but perhaps it was because he was really tired?

"Hermione, would you excuse us, I'd like to have some time to talk with my son?" Eduardo looked at both the ladies who nodded. "Alright...come, Eric."

Lucius tensed, what did the old man suspect?

They walked further away from the patio, "Eric, are you sure everything is fine? You seem distant...is she not what you thought she would be?"

"No, father...everything is fine."

"Father? When did you start call me that?" Eduardo grinned.

"I...uh...am sorry, I'm just tired."

"It's alright, son," he hugged Lucius which caused him to tense...but then he reluctantly hugged him back. Affection. Something Lucius was not used to and he would have to. They headed back and finished with dessert.

* * *

Lucius drove the car, yes, he even learned where Eric's parents lived...he already knew how to drive a muggle car. Hermione had fallen asleep, she looked so peaceful and happy...something he would normally never see, now he would get to see it all. He kept thinking again and again about how free he was, no worries about impressing anyone, a new life...a new family...how he wanted to get his little mudblood pregnant. She would make an excellent mother.

He chuckled to himself, never did he think his life would end up like this...in a muggle body, with a mudblood as a wife, in which he had full intentions of inpregnating. Still, there was no need to worry about money, she could be a house wife if she wanted...but he doubted she would. Not being spoiled, it was clear Hermione had never really been spoiled.

After they pulled in, he came out and went to her side, gathering her into his arms, he carried her through the door and to their bedroom. Lucius laid her down and went downstairs to explore the house a little more, figure out where he could possibly put a secret entrance and create a little room of his own, storing his precious books that he'd hidden, not to mention his wand. He couldn't risk Hermione finding it.

* * *

Hermione fell deep and deeper into sleep. Suddenly she was in front of Eric who seemed to be incased in something...he was pounding on this invisable barrier, screaming at her to let him out...but she didn't know how. She scrambled and pulled on this thing but nothing was working.

"HERMIONE, HELP ME!" Eric screamed. "LUCIUS...IT'S NOT ME, IT'S LUCIUS!"

"WHAT? I don't understand!" Hermione was panicking. "What do you mean!"

"It's not me!"

* * *

Lucius ran up the stairs when he heard Hermione scream Eric's name. She was thrashing around in her sleep, "ERIC! I don't understand!"

That little bastard was trying to contact her! He was stronger than Lucius thought. He went over to Hermione and quickly woke her.

"Huh..? Eric?" Hermione shot up and hugged him. "Oh, Eric...it was so horrible. I dreamt that you were taken away by Lucius...he locked you up somewhere and you kept trying to warn me that it wasn't you...he was trying to pose as you or something," she sobbed into Lucius's shoulder, who held her scowling.

'That little bastard thinks he's going to start warning her, is he?' Lucius thought how much strong he would have to make the barrier. "It's alright Hermione, I'm here...and I'm here to stay," he hissed.

Hermione kissed him on the mouth and brought him down on top of her, his little rabbit was ready again, "make love to me, Eric."

"Gladly..."

* * *

She laid in his arms and nuzzled him, "I love you..."

"I love you," he purred. Lucius never thought he would say it, but it was easier behind someone else's mask. Feelings he had but could never say to her.

"I like the way you've been making love to me lately."

"Do you want more? I have plenty...," playfully growling, he rolled back on top of her as she giggled. As Lucius made love to her, he hoped Eric saw it all...that his pleas were useless.

* * *

Eric was trapped in this prison, all he remembered was dreaming...then something leading him out, he saw his body, his saw Hermione holding on to him. Then someone grabbing him and when he turned around...it was that blonde man...it was the man that had taken Hermione!

He faught as hard as he could, but Malfoy had magic...he knew how to use the astral plane to his advantage, Eric didn't. He remembered being thrown into a barrier, "NOW you filthy muggle...your life is now mine...Hermione is now mine...everything you have is now mine."

"NO! YOU BASTARD!"

Eric watched in horror as Lucius took over his body, he watched in horror as Hermione watched this man examine himself, as he approached the bed...and the way he approached the bed.

"No," he whispered. "She doesn't know...NO! HERMIONE!"

He was blocked off, blackness...alone in the blackness, a place he'd never escape. After a few days it occurred to him that Eric was taken while he was dreaming...he could do the same, he could contact Hermione in her dreams, he really didn't know how, but he practiced. Soon, she came to him...how he loved her, but she didn't understand...then she was jerked back again by HIM, by Lucius...he sobbed.

Then Lucius came back while Hermione and he were sleeping, "do you THINK that little attempt will help you? Do you THINK that she will notice? I will make this barrier even stronger."

Eric scowled, "it doesn't matter how strong you make the barrier, mine and Hermione's bond is stronger than that, our souls are connected, she'll find me...she'll figure it out!"

"No...because the moment she does, all I have to do is erase her mind."

"She'll still figure it out! She'll know in her heart!"

"Right."

"You underestimate her!"

"Oh no, I don't...but I have my own ways of handling her...but you won't be around. So, you just be a good little muggle and behave yourself, otherwise I'll send you into oblivion. Be lucky I let you have a glimpse of her now and then."

"You're torturing me, are you?"

"You know me so well," Lucius strengthened the barrier and left Eric alone. But Eric was determined, he would learn...he'd get to Hermione and he would be set free. He'd get his life back...

* * *

Hermione laid there and watched Eric mumble in his sleep, she leaned close to hear what he was trying to say. Something about 'not figuring it out'...'erasing...memory'...'oblivion'. What was he dreaming about? She shook her head and started to get up and get some water, then a strong hand fell on her wrist, pulling her back down, "WHERE are you going, Hermione?"

It startled her. "I just wanted to get some water," Hermione tilted her head, Eric's grip was so much stronger than before.

"I was just wondering..."

"It's nothing, go back to sleep," she smiled softly and kissed him on the forehead.

Hermione went downstairs and instead of water, she made warm milk. That dream...that dream bothered her so much, but Eric didn't know that. It didn't feel like a dream, it felt real...it felt like it was really Eric. She sat down and put her curly tendrils behind her ears, thinking hard...wondering what was going on. Recently they both seemed to be not sleeping well...she should go through some of her books, maybe it was something as simple as the wedding bond perfromed in the wizarding world...he can't sleep...so she couldn't, a connection that was created by the marriage spell itself.

She looked at the time 11 o'clock...'Ohhh! Sex in the City is on!' she thought excitedly. Hermione had forgotten that they just recently let the show over from the states. She liked it, as appearently most of England because they did constant reruns of the same episode in case anyone missed it the first time. Hermione shuffled over to the tele and watched it, liking the cute little music it played, she thought about getting the dvd set so she could watch it without all the blasted commercials.

Hermione liked Sarah Jessica Parker...although, she was very small...all of them were. But Americans were very obssessed with being rediculously thin, speaking of which...she wasn't much better these days, but since the wedding she'd gained a few more pounds back and Eric seemed very happy about it. 'How can you possibly produce a child this thin? It's not healthy for you or the baby!' he'd say. That was odd, lately he'd been obssesed with having a child, when just a few weeks ago he agreed that they'd wait a few years? And they said women were famous for changing their minds.

"What are you doing?" it was Lucius.

Hermione squeaked, "oh, I didn't hear you."

"What are you doing?" he asked again.

"Um...watching the tele, you know that 'Sex in the City' is one of my favorite shows," she smiled.

"Indeed, but you need to come back to bed."

"After this, okay?"

"Now."

"But...," before she could protest, Lucius picked her up and headed back upstairs.

"All I expect is for you to listen to me..."

Hermione looked at him in bewilderment, she didn't understand at all. Normally, Eric would have smiled and even joined her...making fun of certain characters. But this was much different... Something was off, still, she couldn't figure it out. 


	18. Fooling

Chapter 18

Things had become slightly different, no completely, but slightly. Eric had become more domineering, he wouldn't let Hermione drive, he wouldn't let Hermione go out by herself at night, and he had nearly cut off all communications with the Weasleys. He even got angry when she was cooking, and then mumbled something about 'getting a house elf.'

But despite it, he danced wonderfully as he always did, even though some of the women still hit on him, she was rather proud of the fact he completely told off the blonde that had her eye on him since the beginning. Even after they were married, the bimbo was still trying to get into his pants. But Hermione was also suprised at how harsh it was, normally he wasn't THAT bad when he was annoyed with someone;

"DO YOU MIND?" Eric snapped.

"What?" the blonde batted her eyes.

"You don't need to touch me like that!"

"I didn't think you minded it...totally...," she giggled.

"My dear girl, does it not occur to you at all that I'm MARRIED!"

"Not really...I thought she would be rather boring, carrying around books all the time," she purred.

"You are a common whore!"

"What!"

"You heard me," Eric hissed.

Everyone had turned around to listen to the argument now, even Hermione was suprised, normally Eric was more discreet when she tried to make passes at him. Even though she herself wanted to take the little bimbo out in the alley and knock her senseless.

"FINE! I can just go somewhere else!"

"Something tells me there are a line of both schools and men that are waiting for you."

It was they way he put it...basically calling her a hooker. The girl teared and ran out of the classroom.

"ERIC! Will you please come over here," Eduardo said sternly.

Eric walked over, "yes...papa?" Lucius had to get used to that.

"What was that...hah? Why you talk to her like that!"

"She was being rude in front of Hermione...treating her as if she didn't exist! I wouldn't have it!"

Eduardo sighed, "I understand...but it was still a little too harsh. Your temper lately has been quick to ignite. Even though you've been stern in the past...you've been harsher, even with Hermione you are more strict. You never minded her being free now and then to visit her friends and now you cage her like a small bird, not wanting to share her with anyone. You even get angry if she dances with the other students...you even have her sit out when you have to correct someone, just like now...there she is on the bench looking bored."

"Only because she is to dance with me, I'm her partner."

"But we always change partners because it is good to learn everyone's style...what if you get sick and we need to replace you, and the same with Hermione."

"I'm not worried about that. I apologize for being so harsh, I didn't realize."

"Alright...well, go back to the students," Eduardo watched his son. Something was off, his attitude was less carefree. Though he always was a little uptight in some areas, slightly possessive with his women, more so with Hermione...it was even worse now. Hermione had told him how he didn't like to cook anymore and that was very unlike him because he always liked to cook for her, especially when she lost all that weight, he was making sure she was eating. He still was...but he was just taking her out to eat more, which was another thing...Eric was careful with his money. Though the boy was well-off, they were well-off, he invested and saved his money more than anything. And to be honest, he was tight with money, even though he indulged Hermione now and again. But now, now he spent it like he hand no worries at all about it. Something had changed in him, he would consult father Michael, yes. Eduardo had known father Michael since since Eric was a boy...maybe he could guide him?

* * *

Hermione sat in the car and looked out the window. She had been thinking a lot lately, not that she was totally unhappy, but Eric had changed even more these past few weeks. Plus...more of those dreams were starting to happen. They stopped for a while, but now they started again, and she wasn't telling him. Hermione had heard of people changing a little after they got married, but this was getting insane. Eric never liked her getting out of bed without him, but now he was more aggressive about it. And that was another thing...he was physically stronger and it wasn't like he'd been going to the gym on top of his dancing.

Oh Gods, if she could only make sense of those dreams! Hermione rubbed her head.

"Not feeling well, love?" Eric drawled.

"Oh...it's just a headache. That girl got on my nerves...she always did that."

"Well, I doubt she'll be bothering me again."

"Thank you for doing that. I sometimes wondered if you enjoyed the attention and that's why you let her keep doing it...even though you told her not to."

"I was just trying to be nice at first, but appearently that wasn't enough. Finally I got tired of it, her being so disrespectful towards you and when she insulted you...that was enough."

"Thank you for standing up for me. Although I was pretty close and just deciding to take her out in the alley and knock her out," Hermione smiled broadly.

Eric did to, but it was one that she didn't recognized, one that seemed less sincere, "I don't think I would have minded you doing that. It would have been interesting to see."

"Eric, are you alright? You just seem...different."

"My father and I had a disagreement, that's all."

"It's more than that...there's a lot of things you've stopped doing lately. I mean, you haven't cooked for me lately...you've spoiled me with that," she said it humorously so he wouldn't think she expected him to do it. "You don't want me to cook for you, either. Plus, you've seemed distant from your parents and a little from me, you're more strict with me."

"Are there any more complaints," Eric was frowning.

She looked away, "and that's another thing, you never want me to question you. You were more happy and now you seem to just be nuetral. Are you depressed about something, worried?"

"There is nothing wrong. I just want us to be by ourselves for a while, I don't want to share you...I want to spoil you so you have no worries, is that wrong?"

"You can do that without trying to so abrupt," Hermione crossed her arms and legs, a clear defensive position that Lucius recognized.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be that way..."

"It's just, you used to be so playful and we would have so much fun."

"I said I was sorry," he said more sternly.

Hermione said nothing, and when they got home, she got out of the car and went into the house without a word. Then she went upstairs and got into some jeans and a t-shirt, put her tennis shoes on and laid on the bed. Hermione heard him come up and enter their bedroom, he shut the door, "WHY are you acting like this?"

"Because you're being a prat," she rolled over.

"A prat?"

"Yes, A PRAT. You're being a prat to everyone around you! You're trying to control me, especially. What for? I'm not going anywhere! I love you...but I would like time by myself once in a while, especially with my friends," she sat up, her back facing him.

Lucius went around to face her, she was right to some extent...but...he was lonely without her there. Eric was lucky that way, from what he examined of the boy, he never seemed lonely. He wanted to relay that to Hermione, but again, he didn't want to seem weak, "I...I need you."

She shot her head up, "what?"

"I don't like you gone...I feel...empty without you...whenever you're gone."

Hermione didn't know what to think. Eric never said anything like this before, he never seemed like the type of person that ever seemed lonely. He was normally confident and a joker, normally it was her that felt like she needed him. "Oh...I didn't know you felt that way, I always thought that I was the one that needed you more. I guess it's kind of a relief, knowing that I'm not that pathetic," she smiled weakly.

"You're not pathetic," Lucius said softly. He took off his shirt and his pants, revealing the tent that was in his boxers. "If you were...I doubt I would want you as much as I do." She blushed. He took off her shirt and jeans, her bra and panties and caressed her body and went down on her again. He did this all the time to her now and she loved it, still, Hermione didn't know what changed his mind but right now she didn't care. "How I love the taste of you," he moaned.

Hermione looked down and found him stroking his length, it was large a beautiful. "Put it inside me," she begged.

"Gladly."

Lucius lunged into her hard, she gasped and threw her head back, spreading her legs wider and putting her knees up higher, Hermione's hand grasped onto him as he thrusted harder and harder as he grasped onto her backside so he could go deeper.

"Oh...my little rabbit," he said huskily.

She only moaned in response, her face was flush and her lips kiss swollen and then finally she climaxed. Lucius loved her climaxes, how she arched her back and her leg tightened around him, sometimes she'd clench her jaw. And when he came, he roared and pumped hard...and then a collapse of kisses. He loved her kisses.

"Eric," she whispered. "I love you so much, please don't change."

Lucius felt her arms hug him and lips trace his neck, it was euphoria...he didn't have to be his old self anymore, he could be happier, that was the point wasn't it? To change, to leave his past behind him? Yes, he could be more carefee after all, "alright...but I'm still jealous over you.."

She smiled, "I know...you always have been."

They held each other, but as they did, those dreams Hermione had been trying to ignore still plagued her mind. Something was off, something was wrong and in true Hermione fashion, she was going to find out why she was having them. 


	19. Dreams that Reveal

Chapter 19

Things had gotten better, but Hermione's dreams hadn't. In the past few weeks, they'd gotten worse and worse. They were always when Eric had left to go to the classes to teach or when he would get her something to eat because she STILL hadn't gained the weight back. Hermione couldn't explain it, she would just nod off and Eric would yelling at her to help him...screaming that the Eric she was married to now, wasn't really him, it was Lucius...she still didn't understand. The one day the dream had told her to look for his special room. What did that mean?

Then one day she was cleaning, she was so tired from no sleeping well that she leaned against the wall and hit something and suddenly fell backwards. It shut. Hermione squinted her eyes, it was dark and there seemed to be no light. Then some torches lit as she moved forward down the stairs. There wasn't a place like this in Eric's house, was there? Was this the 'special room' her dreams were telling her about?

Finally making it down the stairs, there were all these books...magic books? Was the house owned by someone who was a witch or wizard? She looked around quietly, wondering if someone else was down there with her...nothing. Hermione saw a desk with a book open, and out of curiousity she looked, the chapter said 'soul stealing' and as she read it her hands started to shake. How to identify the personality changes of someone who had their body stolen...it was there...in black and white...there was too much coincedence. Her dreams telling her to find the secret room, the book, the room itself...she bumped into something and looked down. The walking stick...it couldn't be!

Hermione started to tear...it's not possible...it wasn't possible! Yet she thought back..when he called her 'little girl'...he was growing out his hair and started where it back in a tie, he wouldn't cook for her and mentioned house elves. His distance...it couldn't be! She started to panic, her panic attack hit hard...this wasn't possible...

She heard him come through the door, "oh no..." Her lungs were restricted, she was panicking...she couldn't move. NO! If he found her down here...please no.

"Hermione?" the muffled voice came through.

Hermione put her hands over her mouth in case he could hear her heaving breathing.

"Hermiiiiooonee...where are you, love?"

She blinked away tears, trying to muffle her sobs.

"HERMIONE!" he screamed in a tone she'd never heard...it was HIS TONE, Lucius's TONE. She jumped. "HERMIONE, WHERE ARE YOU!"

He left, the door slammed. And with whatever strength she had, Hermione scrambled up the stairs and managed to get out...where could she say she went...she had to act like nothing was wrong! Did he go upstairs? No. At least she thought he didn't. Creeping up there, she looked for him...he wasn't up there...okay, she could say she was upstairs in the bathroom...or maybe she was outside and entered the opposite door...but which door did he come out of...? There was no time, he came back through.

"HERMIONE!"

"Up here!" Gods, her voice sounded terrible.

His heavy footsteps were heard and then Eric was in font of her...but it wasn't Eric, it was Lucius, "WHERE WERE YOU! I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER FOR YOU!"

"I was outside and I didn't hear you...in the backyard. I thought I heard you...after you were yelling and then...well...I went back around the house and didn't see you...I thought you were upstairs," she was shaking...dammit.

"What's the matter, you're shaking?" he eyed her.

"I...just...haven't eaten much today, that's all."

"That's another reason I came home, we need to go eat..."

"Why don't I just cook for us?"

"NO. I don't want you cooking, we'll have someone else cook for us," he hissed.

"Alright...I'll get my things..."

Lucius suddenly grabbed her and kissed her. but then he felt her pull away and hard -smack- came across his face. He immediately scowled, "WHY DID YOU DO THAT!"

Hermione gasped and covered her mouth, "I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to. I've just been on edge lately...bad dreams...I haven't been sleeping."

"WHAT KIND OF BAD DREAMS?"

"About the war again...I'm sorry," she stood on her toes and kissed him, though it was stiff.

"It's alright...get your things." But Lucius knew it wasn't alright, something was wrong, very wrong.

* * *

All through dinner she didn't say much and kept looking at him. Hermione was usually chatty but tonight she said nothing, she wouldn't hold his hand, she wouldn't kiss him, she didn't want to make love. Yes, there was something very odd in her behavior, something had happened. So, when she finally fell asleep, he went downstairs to his room to see if anything had been moved. Lucius was a very suspicious person and took great care of the things he hid...it wasn't beyond her to figure it out.

He looked around the room to see if anything had been moved...the book...it was on the WRONG page...and walking stick...it had been moved slightly. Lucius chuckled to himself, his little mudblood had found his room and if he knew her any better...she'd come back down to look and make sure it really WAS HIM. This was going to be great fun indeed. Yet, what an inconvienence, he'd have to get her out of the country before she could tell anyone. Oh no, he wasn't leaving her, he wasn't going to take off without her, she was his...he didn't want anyone else and she would bare strong magical offspring, there was power in her, despite the fact that she was a muggleborn. And Hermione's beauty would only increase as she got older...what a prize he managed to aquire.

No. Hermione wasn't going anywhere.

Lucius went back upstair and put his arms around her, she automatically rolled over into his chest and nuzzled his neck. Her reaction was instinct right now, cognitively she wasn't reacting to him, unconsciously she was reacting to her husband, Eric. No. He wouldn't be leaving her alone, he'd torture her with this. Give hints that he might or might not know...but that was fine. He'd play with her, seduce her, make her make love to him...enforce it. His little mudblood was not going to deny him a damned thing, especially her body.

"My Hermione," he said softly.

She moaned.

"Does my Hermione want to make love?"

"Eric," she sighed.

"Yes, it's Eric...," he grinned. Lucius pulled her underwear off and tossed it to the ground, then pulled her leg over his thigh, he liked it on the side, one of his favorite positions. His kisses were devouring her neck and then plunging into her again. Hermione gasped even though she was half asleep. He kept one thigh right under her leg so he could spread her wider if he wanted, and soon there mouths were kissing each other hard and moaning into each other...until they climaxed.

"ERIC!"

They collapsed, their arms entangled. He kissed her sweaty forehead, she was aware of what happened and tried to pull away slightly, "no...you're not going anywhere. Remember that. You'll never leave me."

She wanted to defy him, but her body was too tired from no sleep and now this.

* * *

Hermione stayed home while Eric went to meet his father at the school to help with some business, but he didn't really leave like she thought. In true Lucius fashion, he skulked in the shadows and waited for Hermione to go back down to the secret passage he had created while she was either sleeping our out shopping during the day. It took little to modify a muggle house after all.

He was by no means disappointed, she was a curious creature and soon found her way back to his lair, watching her small hands examine the books, old books in which had never seen. But her main concern was the one about 'soul stealing and body thieving', no doubt trying to confirm what she felt to be real, yet still uncertain. Lucius loved her mind just as much as he loved her body. He had to admit that he'd grown quite obsessed with her over the time from when they met again until now. To see how she loved was a benefit to being in Eric's body, how passionate. Yes. She would be with him, he'd make her, there was no reason why his little mudblood couldn't express the same feelings for him as she did Eric, especially now. They could have a whole new life together. WIth his money, they could start over, she could teach him how to truly live, was that so selfish?

Hermione looked all over in the book, was there a way to for Eric to get back? There had to be, if it was Lucius in Eric's body, surely she could get Eric back, surely she could save him. Not again. Hermione wasn't about to lose the one she loved again, not to THEM...again. 'Eric, if you can hear me, please, I'll try and get you out...I know I can,' she almost prayed this, prayed he could hear her, let him know, give him comfort in a place where she was sure he was alone and scared.

But she heard a noise and whipped her head around, no one...maybe it was the house settling? Hermione wouldn't take that chance, she wrote as fast as she could on a piece of parchment the book's name and page she was on so she wouldn't forget. As she stood up, she felt it...someone was behind her, with every fiber of her being she had no doubt that it was Lucius Malfoy, her hair stood on end. He'd kill her, wouldn't he? With what little bravery she had left, she turned around and there he stood.

"Find something interesting?" he grinned.

Hermione stood stiff, unable to speak...what could she do now, her wand wasn't on her, but she did a side glance and then as fast as she could, her hand reached for the walking stick, Lucius beat her to it.

"Oh, no...my pretty little girl. Now what is it you think you're doing?"

"Who are you!" Hermione spat.

"I'm sure you already know by now, not that it matters."

"Planning to kill me? Go ahead...I'm not afraid to die anymore." She looked down, her thoughts ached, 'at least I'll be with Harry and the others...my precious Harry.'

Lucius chuckled, "I have no intentions of killing you, my precious mudblood. You have become very special and what kind of husband would I be if I killed my own wife?"

Her head shot up, she'd forgotten that they were technically married.

"Remember now, do you? You're mine and I don't think it would do you any good to go to the Ministry...this is an old, old spell and believed forgotten. And I doubt they'd believe you, especially when you are married to a muggle who can't do magic and all, so why would a pure-blood like Lucius Malfoy want a muggle body, one that can't do magic?"

"Your magic carries over!" her eyes were brimming with tears.

"Yes, very good. But they don't know that, do they?"

Hermione tried to get past him, run away from him but he easily caught her. She tried to scream but his hand went over her mouth, "I'm afraid you won't be going anywhere, my pretty girl. We are staying together, I want a new life...I have my money, a younger body to please you all hours of the night, and after all...I want a family. You can teach me so many things about living, Hermione...but I'm afraid, we'll be doing it some place else, and I'll need you as compliant as possibe.

She felt a hard knock on her head, blackness. 


	20. Emotional

Chapter 20

Hermione felt heself being rocked and the sound of tracks beneath her...a train, they were on a train. Her head felt like she had been smashed in with the headache that was raging in her brain. One of her small hands rubbed her forehead, she was laying in a comfortable bed...where were they going? Was she going back to Diagon Alley. Suddenly Eric's voice rang in her ears.

"Up finally? I guess I knocked you out a little harder then I'd planned."

Hermione's eyes were having a hard time focusing...,"where...where are we?"

"Ah, yes. We are currently on a train in a nice little suite, headed for Switzerland."

"SWITZERLAND!" she winced at the sound of her own voice. "No! You take us back."

Lucius almost chuckled, "I don't think so."

"LUCIUS, TAKE US BACK!"

"Lucius, who is Lucius, my dear? My name is Eric Tellini, I believe?"

Hermione was able to finally focus her eyes and she saw Eric dressed with a black bow in his hair, a dark cloak and Lucius's walking stick...it was the oddest thing she'd ever seen in her life, "what are you doing dressed like that? If you're in hiding..."

"Oh, I plan to change the head of the wand...but I like the color black, nothing wrong with it. Do I look good to you?" he seemed to actually care what she thought.

She looked down, "can't you give Eric's body back? It's not your life...you didn't have the right to take it..."

"On the contrary, he took something of mine and now I'm taking something of his. A tit for tat," standing up, Lucius looked around the room and found the small present he bought her. "Open this, it's a gift."

Hermione only looked at it.

"TAKE IT."

As she opened the box, her eyes widened to find a beautiful necklace that had a diamond and a pearl dangling in the middle of it, she shut it, "I can't except this."

"Why not? It's one of many gifts you will be given. I spoiled my last wife, why would I not spoil you?"

"It's not...I'm not like that, I don't need these types of things. It's beautiful, it truly is...but it's given to me to buy my love...and I love Eric, the real Eric," Hermione's voice dropped to a whisper.

Lucius grabbed her face hard and forced her to look up, "that makes no difference now...you'll never see him again, so you'd better get used to being with me. So let's get a few things straight, shall we? You will not deny me your body, you will not call me by my former name, you will be my wife and treat me as your husband."

"Why do you even want me!" Hermione clenched her jaw, the force he was grabbing her face was hurting her. "I'm a mudblood...remember! What happened to your little plan of meeting a lovely little pure-blood woman! Or do you still plan to and then just decide to kill me off later...?" she was struggling to get his hand off her jaw. Only for him to slide it down around her throat and squeeze so she would stop talking.

"There is no plan to marry another...so I suggest you drop the subject. I want you for many reasons, and they are MY reasons. I don't need to explain it. All you have to do is be a good little girl and be my wife and make sure you have your legs spread for me when I ask!"

He let go of her throat and she coughed as she fell to the floor, then glared at him, "I HATE YOU! I COULD NEVER LOVE YOU!"

Lucius simply bent down and looked straight into her face, lifting it up slightly, "be that as it may, you're mine anyway." He stood back up and left the suite to get them something to eat, as well as a good stiff drink for himself.

Hermione started to sob, not again...she couldn't bare to lose another person she loved so much again. Getting up, she looked in the mirror...there were red marks on her neck, her hand unconsciously touched it. She had to get out of here. She opened the door and went the opposite direction Lucius did and kept walking until she got to the end of the train, then opened the door onto the little balcony. They were in a mountainous area...it was fairly cool and a chill ran through her. It rocked back and forth, the sound of the train running over the tracks was soothing and then thoughts ran through her brain, dark ones.

Suddenly, she found herself standing on the railing of the balcony. They were on some type of cliff and it wouldn't take much when her body landed to end it. Tears were running down her cheeks, she'd lost Eric...she was married to that aweful man...and there wasn't anything she could do about it, well, there was at least one thing she could do. Hermione put her arms out and breathed the air in. 'Just one good leap,' she thought. 'One good jump and it will be over forever.'

Courage.

Just one ounce of courage.

Her legs were starting spring...and then someone grabbed her around her waist. It was Lucius.

He thrusted her back on the platform, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" Hermione's hands were on her face, she was sobbing. Lucius picked her up and headed back to their suite, then placed her in the bed and knelt down, he looked for any damage. Nothing. "You listen to me," he hissed. "You are not to do that again, do you hear me! When I leave, this door will be locked and so will those windows."

Then, out of nowhere, Hermione grabbed onto him, hugging him. This was insane...why was she acting this way? One moment she was cursing him and now she was hugging him? Lucius reluctantly hugged her back and sat there for a moment utterly confused until she spoke.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I...I didn't know if I really wanted to...I don't know what I'm doing anymore," her head was buried in his shoulder.

"Then poor your confusion into me," he purred. Lucius kissed her on the mouth and she kissed back. It was so odd to her to hear these things from Eric, from the body of Eric... The body of Eric, she wanted him...whether or not Lucius was in there, she wanted him. After all, it wasn't her fault she had a high sex drive.

"Lucius...take me," she begged.

He growled, that's all he needed to hear and started tearing off her clothing, ripping off her dress. Hermione squeaked, but didn't fight, especially when he tore off her bra and underwear, and then tore off his own. Lucius was hard with anticipation, the pre-cum was starting to drip from his head. Hermione lifted herself up and started to suck on his length, a form of foreplay... He couldn't take it, "I have to be inside you...this isn't enough."

Luicus flipped her on her back and took her. Their passion poured into each other, she scatched down his back which he loved, he went deep and hard, there was nothing in the world but the two of them right now. And by the time they were finished, she had love bites all around her neck, bruises on her inner thighs. He had scratch marks down his face and love bites on his chest and shoulders. They were exhausted, but he held her close, his arms wrapped around her like a vice.

Hermione looked up at him and played with his now, long black hair...he did look good with it, very sexy. "It's done now," he said.

"What?"

"You belong to me. I can be a good husband to you, Hermione...just let me."

She just held onto him...what was she going to do now? Could she even save Eric? Was this it? All Hermione knew now was that she was complying, she was giving in for now...he wanted her and she was giving in.

Lucius felt her relax in his arms and he knew his little mudblood was starting to melt, starting to give in... He pulled her head back and started to kiss her neck, licking it with the tip of his tongue. "Hermione..."


	21. Dreaming of Another World

Chapter 21

Most of the train ride was extacy for Lucius. Hermione didn't fight back, she gave in to his whims and desires and in turn, he took care of her. All she could do was pretend that it was the real Eric, exhaustion from emotions had set in and there was nothing to be done at this point. Lucius had her sleep and coddled her, bringing her food and gifts, anywhere from necklaces to rings but she didn't really want them, which frustrated him. Narcissa loved such things, but his mudblood did not, and he had to find a way to make her happy...because he didn't want her to JUST give in, he wanted her to enjoy it too.

She was resting inbetween his legs as he read to her, but her body jerked and he knew she was dreaming...the original Eric was still bothering her. 'I have to do something about this once and for all,' he thought. But if he got completely rid of Eric, sending him into oblivion, Hermione would be hysterical and have a full nervous breakdown, she already was on the edge as it were. Lucius would have to consult that book again, he'd hidden from her so she wouldn't find it...no, he couldn't risk her helping him. His own body was in the ground rotting and couldn't very well go back to it.

* * *

Hermione dreamt again, she was there with Eric and they were talking, that's all they could do at this point.

"I'm learning, Hermione," Eric smiled. "I'll get out of here, I promise."

She nodded sadly, "I can't seem to find the book that he used to get you into this mess."

"He still has it, I know he does. I have a feeling Lucius Malfoy wouldn't get rid of something that valuable, in case he has to use it again."

"I miss you. I feel aweful, I've given in...I feel like I've cheated on you," Hermione put her hands over her face.

"No, not really. Just pretend it's me, that's all you have to do. I'm not angry at you for this, I don't blame you for any of it. But I am concerned about you, you look very weak, have you been eating?"

"He makes me eat."

"Well, that's at least one thing I can be grateful for."

"What are you going to do? He's a powerful wizard, Eric...I can't get past him either."

"Cunning little shit, isn't he? But I'm figuring things out and we'll be together again."

* * *

Lucius looked up the book while she was sleeping, he had found a way, but it would mean sharing the body...becoming what was called a 'multiple soul'. Two souls in one body, but one being more dominant than the other, it was like having a split personality, only you were very aware of what the other was doing. And it would be the only way to keep Eric in check, he knew they were planning against him, at least Eric was. Hermione was too tired to do much of anything, she was weak, he could sense it. 'I will have to do it when we get to Switzerland,' he thought.

Finally she stopped stirring, they had ended their conversation and she woke up, blinking her eyes...such pretty eyes.

"I know you were talking to him," Lucius said flatly.

Hermione didn't say anything.

"It won't do any good, you must realize how futile it is."

"Why are you doing this? You had a life, you were earning your way back...I'm not that important...," her voice was a whisper.

"On the contrary, you will produce powerful offspring, Hermione. And as I said before, you are quite lovely and I've grown attached..."

"You don't know how to love."

Lucius flipped her on her back as she squeaked, "the hell I don't! I loved my wife and my son, and whether or not you believe it, is niether here nor there. The point is, I want that feeling again, I want a family again, would a man who couldn't love want those things?"

"I didn't say you COULDN'T, I said you didn't know HOW!" she snapped. "If you love someone, you don't possess them, you let them be free..."

"I read an amusing little saying once, one that I think applies to this situation, 'If you love it, let it go, and if it doesn't come back to you...hunt it down and kill it.' That applies to you, 9/10ths of the law is possession, Ms. Granger...and everyone has their way of loving. This is mine."

'Ms. Granger', that coming out of Eric's mouth was odd and unnatural. "It's just selfish how you are taking his body, it's not your life! You could have had anyone, you could have made your life easier by just sticking with what you had...I...," her mouth was covered.

"I told you why, fair enough? Now, you are exhausted and if you don't calm down, I'm giving you a calming drout."

She nodded.

"Good, now, let's order dinner," Lucius opened the menu and showed her their selection, she didn't really want anything but he selected for her, forcing her to eat, Hermione was still not eating enough and hadn't gained any more weight back.

When their dinner arrived, she just picked at it.

"Please eat," he said politely.

"I'm not hungry."

"I don't care, you've barely eaten. I know the situation you're in is distressing...but you must eat."

"I just..."

"EAT. Or I'll shove it down your gullet," he snapped.

Hermione only looked down, there was nothing left to say and she ate her food, though it felt like it had no taste, there was no enjoyment in it...not like it was when Eric was with her. He would feed her off his own fork and cook for her...there was so much love and she wondered if she would ever be able to have that again. For every time she got it again...it seemed to be taken away. She was losing her faith, slowly and surely, wondering if things would get any better. Maybe Eric would find a way out, he was smart, but...most muggles have a hard time on the astral plane, hell, she didn't even know what she was doing! Maybe he'd get lucky...he was determined as hell, just as he was at persuing her and marrying her...

They would be in Switzerland in another day and half, she had to find that book, but knew Lucius had hid it. "Good, you're finished. You see, how hard was that?" he petted her hair...but there was no response.

Hermione had hoped that he would just give up on her, but it wasn't working. Of course it wouldn't. Lucius Malfoy was one of those men that got what he wanted and would MAKE the situation the way he wanted it. He was determined to change her, make her happy, even though she didn't want to be with him. Running away would do no good either...he'd find her, he was trained how to track. Gods. She wanted to die.

"Would you like a dessert?" he asked kindly.

"No, thank you," her voice was soft.

"Why don't we go to the lounge and listen to some music?" Lucius took her hand and gently led her through the carts and there sat a small band playing some type of jazz music. He put his arm around her and ordered a drink for himself and water for her since she wasn't in the mood for wine. The music was soothing at least and Hermione fell asleep on Lucius' chest.

Lucius held her tightly and petted her, a woman came up and said, "may I say, you two look so wonderful together?"

He nodded, "thank you very much."

The woman left and he looked down at her, yes, they did make a good couple and it was going to stay that way. Lucius woke her up and they headed back to the cabin, but he didn't enforce love making, even though it was tempting in her weak condition. No, he would let her rest and his large hands caressed her thin body as she slept. He wanted her, he had fallen in love with her and didn't mean to, Hermione was supposed to be a tool and now she meant more to him. Her spirit was intoxicating.

Lucius laid there with her, everything was uncertain, and never in his existance had he felt so much of it. He found himself desperate for her love, she was right of course, he didn't know how...but he knew who could teach him and it would be her.

* * *

Hermione was dreaming again, but not of Eric, of Harry.

"Why are you here?" she asked softly.

"Because you need me," Harry held her in his arms and cradled her.

"I want to be with you, I want to come home."

"I know, my love...but not yet," he said lovingly. "Please don't try and hurt yourself anymore, for me? I watch over you all the time and I want you with me too...we could reincarnate and try again."

"That would be nice..."

"I love you so much, my 'mione," he hugged her even harder, not wanting to let go...but they were in two different worlds for now.

* * *

As Hermione slept on her side, a tear ran down the inner corner of her eye and down the side of her nose...dreaming of a love that was no longer in this world. 


	22. Traditionalist

Chapter 22

They had arrived in Switzerland and gotten to their suite. Hermione had remained quiet, but not as withdrawn as before. The dream with Harry gave her strength to carry on just a little bit longer, being the supportive love she had always known him to be...even on the other side. They had talked, talking of their next life, if they wanted to either be muggles or a witch and wizard again. They both agreed on the magical realm, both loving magic, it was like they were discussing their future again...but it was a future life that did not exist yet.

She wondered if it was real, if it really was Harry, yet it seemed real. Lately, there were so many things she had wondered about the soul...and her stint with Lucius was definately confirming what she always doubted. Yes, she knew in her heart it was Harry, did he mind that she was with Eric? He told her 'no, that she needed someone in the physical realm and that he would wait for her...because she was his no matter where she was.' It made Hermione smile.

She watched Lucius go back and forth, arranging their things, loving on her...this man who had Eric's body. "We're going to go shopping, I didn't have enough time to pack everything and I think we need some new clothing. Then I have to go to the wizarding bank and get some finances straightened out, one of the reasons we are here."

Hermione nodded.

"Good. For now we'll rest, it's been a long journey."

"Why didn't we just apparate?" she asked softly.

"Well, I wanted it to be a sort of honeymoon for us..."

"You would have had to take me passed out and you didn't want anyone to suspect anything," she stated.

He smiled, "you're smart, that was part of it..."

"How long are we going to be here?"

"For a while. You need a change of scenery, the food here is excellent and it's atmosphere is relaxing..."

Hermione looked at him as he continued on and simply thought, 'it never occurs to your ego that you're the one causing me stress!'

"Now, please, undress and lay down."

She eyed him.

"I'm going to massage you..."

There was a look of suprise...why did he even care?

"Please."

Hermione did as he asked. There was a method to Lucius' madness, he had plans for his mudblood. He had every intention of getting her pregnant, but first he had to get her to relax, gain some weight, make her receptive to his seed. As she was, she would not be easy to get pregnant and he wanted a healthy child. There was no real hurry, he was, in this body, twenty-five and Hermione was twenty, soon to be twenty-one, but he did want a child...son or daughter, he wanted his life to be as it was.

It was a sin how he could work her muscles, and it was funny to Hermione that someone so vicious could at the same time, be so...gentle. This was his good side appearently and she started to grin at the irony of it all...her, a mudblood, on the good side of Lucius Malfoy...a pure-blood who hated her kind.

Lucius noticed her face, "is something funny?"

"No...not really, it's just..."

"Just what?"

Hermione sighed and turned over, modestly covering herself with a sheet which he found sweet, "well...the irony of this. You hated me...a mudblood, and now here you are doing your best to keep me. I just wish I understood why, I mean, you say it's because my offspring would be powerful...but I'm sure there were others who even more so because of their bloodline."

"In a way, we understand each other," he stated.

"What do you mean?"

Lucius sat silent for a moment and then spoke, "after I worked my way back into the 'aristocratic circle', as you called it, I found that no one understood what was going on, what had happened, they stood on the sidelines while we all fought against each other. And even though I was starting to gain a name for myself once more, I found my usual company boring, teadious, and annoying. No woman could understand what I had lost because they had not been there, they did not understand the nerve it took to put your life on the line for your cause, nor did they care to understand...they were pointless in my eyes. They talked of stupid things and gossiped constantly, and where once I might have found those things amusing, I no longer found place for them in who I am now...do you understand?"

She looked down.

"I am to understand that you feel the same way...no one understood you because they weren't there to see the horror you saw?"

"Yes."

"That is why."

"You are telling me the truth then? You actually wouldn't want to be a part of that kind of crowd?"

"I didn't say I didn't want to be a part of it, I just simply said that there was no woman within that crowd that pleased me...as you do. Like it or not, we are connected now...we understand each other's loss."

She started to tear.

"As for your heritage...well, though it matters some to me, that term that I once used will no longer hold any water. It means nothing now, only in affection."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, "so you mean to tell me that you consider the word 'mudblood', a term of affection? Are you kidding?"

"I will not use it or say it in front of you...if anything it is my pet name for you when I think of you."

"A pet name? I'm a pet?" an offended tone started to come out.

He sighed, "in a way...but you are much more than that, so please, don't get offended now."

Putting her temper in check for a moment, she thought about it. Of course he'd think of her that way, it's who he was and there wasn't much she could do to change it, "alright..."

Hermione laid on her side, and the way the sheet fell on her lower back and legs was just beautiful to him. All these years he had hated her, hated what she was and never saw the beauty that she held. But when they were fighting, he saw her bravery...the number of times she was face to face with him while he was fighting against her, Potter and Weasley, how she took control if the situation got out of hand. His son was very taken with her too, and even made the comment that if they won the war, he wanted her for a prize. Now he saw everything that Potter brat did, what a shame she wasn't a pure-blood...but at least she was a witch and a powerful one.

His now dark hair and fairly dark skin started to caress her back as he kissed up her spine, Hermione stiffened at first and then relaxed when he managed to get to her ear, "you are to call me Eric from now on, do you understand?"

She was reluctant but nodded.

"Good," Lucius slowly put his arm around her neck from behind and tilted her head as he kissed her neck. He had been still taking the tea, and even though he was in another's body, it still should take...the third and final bite, the one that would be permanent, and because Eric had fang like teeth, it would be much easier.

Hermione relaxed as he continued to kiss on the base of her neck, pressing his hard length against her backside as his grip tightened. Finally he bit down and held her tightly as she tried to escape...it was excruciating pain. And then a beam of light seemed to appear on her back and it burned slightly...a brand. Two initials appeared which should have said 'LM', but Lucius transformed it into 'ET'...Eric Tellini.

"It's done," he said.

"What did you do? I thought you couldn't?" she had tears in her eyes..he tricked her.

"Remember, everything transfers over."

"So I am...?"

"Branded, yes."

"You already had me as your wife!"

"Call me a traditionalist..." 


	23. The Villa

**Please let me know if this is posted correctly, I don't know why fanfiction is dropping my chapters...is it me, or are the frequent advertising banners getting annoying too?**

Chapter 23

Lucius had transferred the money successfully, there was no problem in 'Eric' getting the millions of galleons he was worth, and did it discretely enough where no one would suspect anything. Now, he and Hermione could live well with no worries. He could focus on getting her well and start thinking about possibly getting pregnant. Then there was Eric...

The real Eric.

He was getting stronger and Lucius couldn't afford him to figure out how the astral plane worked. Soon he would have to deal with him, otherwise there would be more problems. Hermione was his now and that's all there was to it. "We should buy a villa here," he stated to Hermione.

Lucius walked with a cane that had a lion's head now, it was far better in her opinion and he actually had her pick it out. The emeralds in the snake's eyes were taken out and put in the new head, and the mouth was still open to reveal fangs, but it was more noble looking at least and less threatening, though she knew full well the man could probably break anyone walking past them in half. It was at least good to walk in the wizarding community again, not having to hide who she was...

"What do you think?" he asked, she wasn't paying attention to anything he was saying.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"About buying a villa here in Switzerland?"

"Well, what about our homes in England?"

Lucius chuckled at her, "we CAN keep all of them, we are not on a limited income, my sweet girl."

Gods, that still didn't sound right coming out of Eric's mouth, "well...I think it should be up to you. I told you before, I'm not really into too much indulgence. If it makes YOU happy, then do what you want, it is your money..."

"It's OUR money now," he drawled.

"You would be willing to share with me? That's very generous of you, but I do have my own little nest egg."

"Which I've taken and invested..."

"Wha..what! How did you even...?

"You forgot that I, as Eric, have access to your accounts. I've gone and invested it so it will grow..."

"But I...what if I need it...?" Hermione was panicking, that was her emergency money in case she needed to flee for any reason.

Lucius did a hard grip on her arm, causing her to wince in pain, "WHY would you need to have access to it? PLANNING on doing something?" His eyes narrowed coldly at her, "keep in mind that if you flee, I WILL find you and this time...I won't be so GENTLE."

"You're hurting me."

He let go, "my apologies...but like I said, you have no need to worry about that little bit of money I invested..."

"It's just, what if something happens...what if you decide to change your mind? Where does that leave me?"

"I have no intention of going anywhere. So you'd better get used to the idea of having me for a husband."

Hermione looked down.

"Now...would you like a villa or not?"

"Fine," she said flatly.

* * *

The woman was showing them this two story villa, Hermione thought it was too big...that man spent money like it was water. And they said women were bad.

"How do you like it?" the real estate agent was flirting with Lucius. Hermione tried not to notice and even tried not to get jealous because it wasn't really Eric...but it was starting to piss her off. Even when she left the room the woman was trying to paw him every chance she got, but thankfully Lucius stopped her advances. "It IS just the two of you, yes...any children?" the woman seemed hopeful.

Gods, what was it with Lucius? He seemed to be able to pick up women like a crystal vase does dust...but then again, so did Eric. Hermione winced as she remembered when Eric was tricked into cheating on her. "Actually, WE ARE thinking of having a child or two," he hissed at the agent and finally she backed off.

Her demeanor turned a little colder after that, "so...are you going through the bank?"

"It will be in cash," Lucius drawled.

"Cash? Fine...I will draw up the papers," the agent pouted, he was handsome and rich...and she couldn't have him.

"Thank you for respecting me enough not to flirt with her," Hermione said softly.

"Why would I?" he drawled again.

"She was very attractive and well...she was coming on to you like a bitch in heat, frankly," Hermione nearly spat.

Turning around, Lucius cocked his eyebrow, "you sound almost jealous."

"No...I...it's just you're in Eric's body and I know he wouldn't cheat on me...at least deliberately."

"But yet you think that I would?"

"I don't know," her voice was soft again.

"I guess you assume that because I am evil, in your eyes anyway, that I do ANYTHING that is evil, including infidelity. But I assure you, I meant what I said the other night. You understand me, and no little strumpet running around selling houses, is going to turn my head," Lucius looked down at her.

"Well the bit about havinging children made her run at least."

"Who said it was a 'bit'. I fully intend on having children, Hermione."

Hermione went to answer him, but the agent interrupted and put the papers down on a table in front of them. "Please sign here and here...the money has transferred."

She watched as Lucius signed for the villa under 'Eric Tellini', but then handed her the pen as well and told her to sign. Hermione wrote her name and gave the papers back to the agent, then felt a hard pull as Lucius grabbed and kissed her in front of the woman, who seemed to become annoyed. 'Geez, he knows how to rub in the salt, doesn't he?' Hermione thought. But then she found her eyes closing as he deepened the kiss...why did he have to be so good at this?

The woman gave them the deed in a huff and left.

* * *

They looked for furniture the next day, they had similar tastes at least, if not, they compromised and for all intents and purposes, they were being a married couple. Lucius was working is way into her heart, it was his intention, though it was work. Hermione was not easily moved by gifts or sweet words like other women. Other women he could get into bed by the end of the day, they'd be his with just a few trinkets of affection (rather expensive trinkets) or well placed words and flowers. But not Hermione. You had to prove yourself to Hermione and that brought on challenge and Lucius liked challenges.

"I like this bed here," Lucius pointed.

Hermione looked at it, it seemed comfortable, but you couldn't really tell. So she walked around and laid on it.

"What are you doing?"

"Laying on the bed to see if it's comfortable, what do you think?"

"If it's not, we can ALWAYS adjust it with a few spells," he drawled.

"But then that just defeats the purpose of buying a good bed. If you buy a good bed, you shouldn't have to adjust anything."

"This is a MUGGLE technique, isn't it?"

"YES. It's a MUGGLE technique," she said, mocking him. "Although, there is another way...," Hermione took off her shoes and stood up, then started jumping up and down on the bed.

"HERMIONE," he hissed. "Stop doing that!"

"Why? Hmmm...it's got good bounce," she smiled.

Children in the store were looking, "MOMMY! That lady is jumping on the bed...you told me I shouldn't do it, but she is!" Other children seemed to be laughing at Hermione and she smiled at them.

Finally Hermione plopped down on her knees, bouncing a bit as she landed, "yep...it's a good bed." One of the women glared at her because her five year old was demanding that she bounce on the bed too, Hermione only covered her face with the sheet after mouthing 'sorry' to the poor woman.

The salesman came up, "um...sir, will you be taking the bed?"

Lucius glared at Hermione, "yes...we will, thank you."

Hermione got off the bed and put her shoes back on.

"WHY did you have to do that," he hissed underneath his bed. "That is embarrassing..."

She shot him a glare, "OH, LIGHTEN UP."

He rolled his eyes, then a small child came up to her and smiled, "do you have a little girl or boy?"

Hermione looked down at her and smiled, "no, I don't."

"You should...I think you'd be a fun mommy and a pretty one too," the little girl ran off, causing Hermione to turn pink.

Lucius only grinned mischievously, "perhaps we should christen the bed as soon as it is in place...?"

'Stupid kid,' Hermione thought harshly. 


	24. Intensity

**Warning: This chapter contains some well...some very intense sexual and violent scenes, but we'll eventually get back to Eric.**

Chapter 24

Hermione had done her best after they moved into the villa to contact Eric, but it seemed he had disappeared. It wasn't making any sense, he'd always been there and now his little cage was empty, where did he go? Did Lucius do something? She couldn't take it and Hermione kenw that he had to have known that they were talking, she just had to summon up the courage to talk to him about it.

There he was in his den, going over papers of some kind...,"Lucius..."

"I told you to call me Eric..."

"Fine...Eric. I..."

Lucius knew at this point that something was wrong, there was something in her voice that he could tell when she was very concerned about something. "What is it, love?" he almost purred.

"I want to know what happened with the real Eric!" there, she blurted it out.

"You already know, don't you?" he said darkly.

"No...he used to just be trapped and now, now he's gone."

Lucius stood up, "so, check in on him from time to time, do you?"

Hermione backed up slightly, ready to run, "I think you already know the answer to that."

"Do I not make you happy, Hermione...my dear sweet muggleborn?" he kept walking towards her, which only caused Hermione to back up further.

"What did you do?"

He remained silent.

"What did you do to him!"

Lucius didn't answer and simply returned to his desk. Finally, Hermione couldn't take it and charged at him, jumping on him, wanting to claw his face. But he grabbed her wrists tightly, causing her to squeal in pain and then she was thrown on the ground hard. "You'd better retract those claws my little kitty," he hissed.

Hermione only stood up, "I will NEVER except you as my husband! I only tolerated you until I could help Eric find a way back...and now..." She wanted to break down, she wanted to die...there was nothing left, and no amount of money Lucius produced would make her feel any different. "Now...I don't have to, I don't have to do this anymore!" Hermione bolted out the door, grabbing her purse, Lucius chased her as saw her apparate.

"You silly little girl," he hissed. "You don't think I know where you'll go...I have ways of tracking you."

* * *

Hermione found an inn that was on the outskirts and near the train station. The last train had left and it was too late to do much else. She went and bought a room, praying that he would not find her and knowing she had little time before he did. Hermione could not do this anymore, the illusion of Eric was just that, an illusion. But what could she do? The vows were final in the wizarding world, but not in the muggle...she couldn't spend her whole life running from him.

But she was tired now and wanted to take a shower, in her haste she had forgotten clean clothes...this was such a stupid idea, where would she go? And she had limited money, Lucius saw to that...smart man, stupid girl. Hermione wished that she had planned this better, but in her anger she just took off without thinking. Though she had survived worse, if she could go weeks without the total comforts of home while fighting Voldemort, than she could get through this too. No. She would leave first thing in the morning. There were spells in her room that would protect her, now whether or not Lucius knew how to get through them...well, that she didn't know. But it was all she had.

Hermione decided to stay up all night, and if there was anything funny...she'd bolt again. As the night wore on, her shoulder where the brand was located, started to hurt until it finally was burning her...she winced in pain. 'He has to be close...or he's going to do something to me,' that thought was scary enough.

She looked out the window slightly, and there in the shadows stood Lucius...

Hermione started to get ready to leave, he didn't see her yet, but he knew she was close, she felt it...then there were heavy footsteps coming up the stairs near her room. "Oh Gods," her breath wavered. It was time to go and Hermione went to the bathroom window, opened it and looked down...it wasn't that far and she started to climb out, dangled for a minute and landed fairly hard, "owe."

Then the door being broken into was heard and Hermione quickly got to her feet, her adrenaline rushing through her body. She took off to hide somewhere...the train station...it was public, but it was hard to find your way through the wooded area at night, and soon she heard heavy footsteps behind her, she tripped... "Oh, how B-movie can you get!" she harshly whispered to herself.

But she saw the train station just ahead and she ran, and as she got to the clearing...an arm was around her waist and a hand over her mouth as she screamed. Hermione knew it was him, "have fun my dear girl?" Tears rolled down. "I'm afraid you'll be punished for this..."

They apparated back to the villa.

* * *

There was no memory of her going up the stairs, no memory of even returning to the villa...but she found herself standing up and tied one of the posts of the four-poster, her hair up. She tried to get out of it, but couldn't.

"It is time you got your punishment," he drawled.

"What, crucio me...fine!"

"Oh no...I wouldn't dare do that to my precious wife. It's too cruel, instead, I have something that will hurt less...but it will sting. An old muggle punishment..." Lucius tore down her shirt and undid her bra...what was he going to do?

Hermione looked to the side...Lucius had a whip in his hand! "WHAT THE HELL! Are you kidding me!" She pulled harder on her restraints, only for them to grow tighter.

"I wouldn't do that...I've used a bit of devil's snare..."

"LET ME GO!" This wasn't happening...it couldn't be! He looked like Eric and sounded like Eric...but this wasn't Eric...

"I'm afraid I can't do that...you see, it is time you understand where your place is. I am tired of TRYING to be gentle with you, I am tired of you constantly testing me...your defiance was appealing at first but now it's gotten out of hand. You wanted to test me...that wasn't wise and now you will know the extent of my cruelty when I am severely disobeyed and disrespected. I had to do this to Narcissa once...but never again."

"YOU'RE SICK!" she hissed.

He twisted a small smile, "perhaps...please brace yourself, my love."

She heard the whip twist and this horrible sting of pain, she screetched. She was hit again, and again the pain seared through her like a knife...ten times she felt it. Finally, Hermione dangled there almost passed out, tears stained her face, she couldn't move. Lucius carefully held her body as he undid the bonds, then carried her to the bed itself and laid her down on her back as he cleaned the wounds and started to heal them where there wouldn't be any scaring.

Her body was exhausted from the amount of strain it just went through, but Lucius dressed her in her night gown and held her, Hermione did not try and get away from him, but only said, "I...will never forgive you for this..."

"That is fine my sweet muggleborn, there is always a few things in a relationship that are hard to forgive...but you now know how serious I am, don't you?"

She said nothing. Hermione felt herself sinking deeper into his embrace, she wasn't sure whether or not she was broken, maybe she was...

Lucius kissed her neck, he was trying so hard not take advantage of this...but whipping her as he did left him with a raging hard on. After he had whipped Narcissa, he only took care of her, telling him the same thing, 'that she would never forgive him'...but he never felt the need to do what he wanted to do with Hermione at this very moment.

Slowly he climbed on top of her and she didn't protest, perhaps she was too weak to do so, but either way, she was kissing back. He removed her underwear and his clothing, pushing himself into her, her body jerking...it felt so good...why did it feel so good? Hermione couldn't understand...she should be fighting him...but he felt so good. Lucius grouned into her harder and cried out...he nearly chuckled as he pulled her hair, forcing Hermione's head back, "now I understand, mon cher..."

She glared at him...

"You liked it...you like being whipped, don't you...just like I liked doing it to you...?" but Lucius clamped his mouth over hers before Hermione could answer.

Together they climaxed hard, but afterwards, Hermione started to cry...she didn't understand, even though Lucius did...it was simply S&M. He liked to punish and she liked to be punished, though maybe not to that extent...lighter next time. Break her in, how fun.

His dark hair caressed her face as he kissed her, "it's alright my love."

"No...why...why did I feel that!"

"It isn't wrong what you felt...but it would explain a lot of things with you."

"LIKE?" she glared.

"When I first took you...you fought and then gave in, you like to struggle, you like to be dominated, and I will be more than happy to do it. Never had I had a woman want it that way...I had actually given up hope on that," he smiled.

"But it's wrong!"

"No...it's not."

Hermione thought back to when her and Harry made love, it was rough. He took her roughly, dominated her...he was the same way. Lucius was right. Her stomach clenched, she wanted Harry...she wanted this experience, this new thing to be with Harry...not this way, not with Lucius and it was just irony that they would be the same way in bed, a sick cosmic joke. She rolled over on her side, covering her face in humilation and crying. Lucius only held her...but was happy about this new development. Turns out you could have your cake and eat it too. 


	25. Shock

**Thanks for the reviews.**

Chapter 25

Hermione looked outside the bedroom window, Lucius had put locking spells on the villa so she couldn't leave without him. Last night was so strange, never had she experienced anything like it and wondered if Harry would have had it in him to do that to her...probably not. Though he liked to dominate, pinning her, biting her slightly when they made love...whipping she really couldn't see him doing. He felt guilty just leaving marks on her neck, she could only imagine what kind of fit he would have for leaving red lash marks on her back. But maybe he would have grown out of that. Maybe.

She still hadn't been able to reach Eric, there was no sign of him and Hermione feared for the worst. Could Lucius have placed him into oblivion? Cut the cord and send him to the land of the dead...she wouldn't put it past him. The sun was setting and he would be home soon. Lucius had managed to retain a job working at a bank, a high position no less of 'Financial Investment Manager'. She didn't question how he got it, and was sure he aquired the right credentials the way he aquired everything else he wanted...through dark means.

Still, his presence was comforting to some extent and it was better than being alone like she was at her flat near Diagon Alley. Lucius was taking care of her, making sure she ate, making sure she got exercise and had fresh air. Maybe she was a pet...a muggleborn pet, that sounded about right. Dinner was starting to cook and it smelled delicous, the house elves making sure it was right on the table when he came home...that was the way Lucius wanted it. Lucius...she couldn't call him Eric, so they made the agreement that when they were in private she could call him by his true name, but in public, it was to be 'Eric'.

Lately she wasn't feeling well, sleeping more and taking naps during the day. It was just exhaustion, she was sure of it. Food was starting to sicken her slightly, it was just stress. Still, she had an hour before he came home...and her eyes were so heavy. Hermione crawled into their large bed, personally, she didn't even know why he needed a bed this large...but he was a spoiled pure-blood who was used to having everything bigger and better than 'normal people', she guessed.

* * *

Lucius was home and dinner was on the table, but where was Hermione? Normally she met him at the door, surely she couldn't have run away again. He went upstairs and found her sleeping, tilting his head a bit because she looked like an angel...glowing slightly.

She was glowing...?

She was tired lately.

She was avoiding eating certain foods that smelled strange to her.

She was very emotional lately and unfocused.

Hermione was pregnant...and a smile went over his face.

PREGNANT! Suddenly this panic went over him...he had struck her with a whip yesterday! He had thrown her on the ground when she attacked him! Plus she jumped out of a window!

Immediately he picked her up and she groaned slightly, "Lucius...what's the matter? I'm sorry, I'm just not very hungry."

"No, mon cher...we are going to the hospital," he said softly.

"Why?"

"To give you a checkup, you haven't seen the Healer in a while and you've been very tired."

"Oh," she nestled close to him and went back to sleep.

They apparated to the hospital and she was immediately taken to the maternity ward to see the pediatric healer. She did a simple test to verify pregnancy and she was and there was no sign of illness to the child, "congradulations, Mr. Tellini. Your wife has been pregnant for about three weeks now. It suits her, she glows like all new mothers should during pregnancy."

"Indeed," he petted Hermione. "But...should she be this tired?"

"Has there been some undue stress?"

"Well, we've just come from another country and decided to settle here for a while and bought a new home."

"Most likely that's it, too much excitement. Still, here are some health potions that will help with fatigue and make sure she takes one every day."

* * *

Hermione laid there as he told her the news...she was pregnant. How did this happen? It was obvious of course...but she had taken the contraceptive potions everyday...everyday except for one. The day she ran out on the train and couldn't find anymore...the day she had almost killed herself and made love to him. The contraceptive potions when you were pregnant stopped working and didn't harm the child if you accidently kept taking them...they were designed for that. Of course it would only take one time with him, he was a potent man...the power in him alone, much less his seed. Hermione wasn't sure how she felt, but Lucius was happy, incredibly happy.

"How do you feel?" he asked in a gentlemanly fashion.

"Health wise or emtionally?"

"Both."

"I don't know...," she started to cry. Lucius took her into his arms and laid down with her. "What about what we did last night?"

"It didn't harm the child. You will be fine as well...granted we'll have to tone it down a bit now."

"Will...will you love this child? Better than you did...with...will you love better?" Hermione's voice was so small. She wanted Lucius to not be so strict and stern as he was with Draco...even cruel sometimes.

"Yes. I know about my mistakes with Draco...and I will not repeat them," Lucius was hoping this was here excepting him.

"But who will he look like?"

That was a good question, "most likely Eric...disappointing, but I did use his seed to get you pregant, but he will carry the Malfoy genes as far as magic."

She nodded, "will you please answer me something...and please don't be angry."

"What is it?"

"What did you do with Eric..?"

Lucius kept his temper down enough where he eve suprised himself, "MUST I answer that?"

"Yes," Hermione said softly.

"You will not like the answer..."

"I understand."

"He is within this body..."

She shot him a look, "WHAT...how! Who are you...Lucius or Eric!"

"Lucius...but I have Eric held within this body, we are what is known as a 'multiple soul.' I knew you wouldn't stop contact with Eric and I couldn't risk you going against me. So I made him part of me..."

Hermione tried to get away from him but Lucius grabbed onto her, "YOU'RE LYING!"

"AM I? Would you like to see him?"

She turned to face him and nodded...then right before her eyes, everything changed, not his appearence, but his aura, his nature, everything. "HERMIONE?"

"E..ERIC?"

"HERMIONE!" he hugged her so hard she almost couldn't breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't fight him, he was too strong...!"

"Eric," she kissed his face and he took her lips.

"To hold you again..." Eric looked up, "I know you're pregnant...I'm happy, it's partly mine at least."

"Yes...yes, it is."

"I don't know what to do...," he kissed her again...it became passionate and he started to try and make love to her when Lucius interferred.

"NOT...SO...FAST...OLD BOY!" Lucius hissed, he was struggling and then contained Eric.

Hermione could only watch helplessly.

"I'm afraid I won't be letting that happen any time soon."

"You're a monster," she said.

"I know I am. But this monster holds the keys, doesn't he?" Lucius sat up and held her close, wrapping his legs around her. "Believe it or not, I love you as much as he does and that is ONE thing he and I have in common. And every once in a while...I will let you see him, do you understand? If it will make you happy. If it will keep you healthy to keep the child safe..."

"Alright," was all she would say. "But let us make something quite clear, YOU...BELONG...TO ME." 


	26. Duel

So sorry for the long delay, I've been trying to finish up one of my other stories, and editing the one that I am putting up after that. Once the other story is finished, this one will be my main priority. I'll try not to go so long without an update next time...but thanks for all the feedback, I'm really flattered.

Chapter 26

Lucius watched Hermione sleep most nights, she glowed and was beautiful. He found most women beautiful when they were pregnant, even when he was a Death Eater, he would not go after a pregnant muggle woman. There was something about the light of creation that surrounded a woman, that made most people respect them, want to touch them. He couldn't wait for her belly to start growing, Lucius' hand laid on her stomach and she instintively moved closer, the female wanting to be closer to them male that got her pregnant. He wanted her.

Moving on top of her, almost straddeling her, he undid her her nightshirt and kissed and then fondled her breasts. Hermione moaned, responding to his touch, she was slightly awake now and felt him take off her night pants and underwear, then his tongue in her core, his large hands grasping onto her hips, sexually feasting on her.

Lucius let Eric participate as well, both of them feeling her touch and she could tell Eric was there too, his voice was that of two men now and it was strangely erotic. As he laid on top of her, Hermione looked into the eyes, it could have been the illusion of the light but he seemed to have one green and one gray eye...before she could question, his lips were on hers, tasting herself. She moaned in his mouth as he plunged in, "Hermione..." The duel voice was still so erotic.

Hermione felt his grip...their grip tighten around her, she was locked in their embrace, unable to move, but she didn't mind. Lucius was speaking french to her, while Eric would speak Italian as they kissed her neck and shoulders. Suddenly the familiar explosion between her legs came, her back arched as she let out a scream of pleasure, but they were far from done. Hermione had forgotten that Eric would have her cum three or four times before he stopped, sometimes Lucius would but not as often.

Tonight they were satisfying her, the mother of their child, worshipping her body.  
...

Hermione was treated like a delicate flower, she was still not allowed to go out on her own because they were in a different country and Lucius didn't want her unescorted. She found herself reading in the library most of the time and exercising so she wouldn't get fat before her time.

Where was that book? It seemed to disappear, it had to be somewhere. Hermione got up exhausted from thought and the book she was reading wasn't really that entertaining, so she went to get another one, but as she put the other one away, the one next to it fell and it seemed to shimmer..."huh?"

She picked it up and looked it, it seemed to be under some kind of spell. "Reveal," the book slowly turned to it's normal title...it was the books he was looking for! "OH GODS! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" Hermione jumped up and down. She wondered why Lucius would be so clumsy as to put it in the library though? It must have been a last minute thing, however, he did put it in a section she wasn't really interested in...hiding in plain sight, made sense. The door started unlock, "SHIT...infinite incantum." The book turned back to the old spell and she quickly put it away.

He walked through and found her standing in the library with a book in her hand, then walked towards her with a smile, "how is my future mother doing?" Lucius petted her stomach.

"I'm alright.."

"Did you take a nap?" Hermione shook her head, he frowned a bit, "you need your rest."

"I will...," she said softly. Lucius almost growled, not out of anger, but out of lust. Lately he had found her so 'appealing', Hermione glowed and it seemed to turn him on to no end. The man was like a bull, constantly wanting to make love. He moved on her and grabbed her arms. "Lucius...?"

"I think we need to go upstairs," he seemed to hiss softly as he bent down, holding the side of her face to his nose so he could smell her...she always smelled of lavendar... Then, picking her up, he took her to the bedroom. This time he was rough with her, flipping her on her stomach and taking her from behind, he went deep and Hermione almost couldn't take all of him this way, but Lucius hung onto her hips so she couldn't move as he pounded away. He screamed out finally and nearly collapsed on her, forcing her body down, then twirled her on her back...Hermione squeaked. Again on top of her, Lucius nuzzled her, "I couldn't stop thinking about you today."

"Why?"

"I guess I'm excited about the child, a new life...," he hissed through his teeth again in excitement as his thighs forced her legs apart. This was Lucius happy? "You are intoxicating when you're pregnant, although you were irresistable before that," he purred.

All Hermione could think about was the book...  
...

Lucius was wrapped around her little finger now, giving her anything she wanted, though she never wanted much which he actually found funny because Narcissa was the complete opposite. He would cuddle and coddle her and would read to her...but all Hermione could think about was the book.

She hated it, suddenly feeling like a bad person. Lucius was happy, but then she remembered that it was at Eric's cost. Again she went into the library and found the book...there had to be a way to get Lucius out of Eric's body...

As Hermione read, it seemed to prove futile, the book was huge and it read like stereo instructions half of the time. Of course, Lucius got it...he's had years of experience with magic. Her head ached and she was hungry...again. The house elves made sure she was taken care of, Lucius had given them strict instructions that if she looked tired, she was to sleep, if she was hungry, she was to eat healthy food.

"Miss...miss...you need to eat," the little house elf, bangle, seemed to be in tuned with her. The female house elves seemed to always know when their 'mistress' was hungry, tired, or not feeling well while pregnant. That's because they deliberately 'tuned' themselves into their mistress's body, so that they could cater to her better. Hermione had been craving pizza lately...and brownies, but Bangle would give her healthy substitutes instead...which weren't bad, but they didn't quite hit the spot...well, at least she wasn't hungry.

Hermione put the book away and was tired too. Bangle quickly fed her and then made sure she took a nap. She slept for a long time and she had her dreams again of Harry, why was he visiting her all of a sudden? He wanted to see how she was doing and seemed worried that she was pregnant, "I didn't mean to get pregnant, Harry...what do I do now?"

"I don't know..."

"Do you still love me?" Hermione felt so silly asking that question.

"Of course! I'm just worried that if you don't take care of Lucius, the future will be bleak for you and the child. He hasn't stopped his dark ways, even with this so-called 'new life', he'll end up ruining Eric's future too...you have very little time and the condition that you're in really weakens you."

She started to cry, "what do I do! I feel so lost without you..."

Harry held her, "we'll be together someday...and then we can start over...we'll find each other again and then we'll be happy. I'll wait for you, I promise."

Hermione blinked her eyes open and found that she had been crying in her sleep, she wiped the tears off of her face and looked at them in suprise...was Harry real? Of course he was...watching over her again, warning her again. It was too late to go back down to the library, Lucius would be home any minute. She would just have to trudge through it and try and find a way. But she was just so tired now...  
...

Lucius had been practicing his dark magic again...he didn't want to delve that much back into it again, but as always, it was tempting. He had it all...his Hermione, a baby on the way...and a new body with a many years of experience inside. Experience was a good thing, expecially when you wanted to do things that were questionable and didn't want to get caught. Lucius had plans for he and Hermione, great ones, to be the richest family in the wizarding world, to retain power like never he had, to secure a future that would never be challenged.

Other women had made passes at him, but he never wanted them...that came with it, women who were attracted to men with power, but he honestly loved his little mudblood and knew that if he ever did such a thing, she would leave him forever...she was like that, not that she'd get away, he would never allow her to leave him, at least he and Eric agreed on that. Obtain and keep Hermione at ALL costs...

When he came home, Hermione didn't come to the door again...had she overslept, then Bangle came to the door, "MASTER! MASTER! Something is wrong with Mistress!"

"Where is she!" Lucius snapped.

"Bedroom, master," Bangle squeeked.

He lept up the stairs as fast as he could...Hermione was sleeping but her breathing was very shallow. Feeling her hands, immediately he could tell there was a curse on her...one that he put on something of his thinking she wouldn't find it, it was meant for intruders only...some of his books, books he hid in a certain part of the library, books he thought she wouldn't touch! How could he be so stupid! Trapped in the house all day...she must have been bored, he must have taken on Eric's foolishness along with his body! Oh Gods! The baby!

"Hermione!"

She shook her head slightly, "Lucius...I'm...so...tired."

He picked her up and headed to the hospital. The emergency healers took her and questioned Lucius, who of course, claimed he didn't know exactly what happened, that he had many old object in the house, family objects that might have had protections spells on them...that she was possibly moving things around. They believed him and to his relief, she ended up back to normal and fine, it was only a mild case, most likely from touching something but not for very long.

"I suggest you remove any QUESTIONABLE objects, family or not, just in case they have old spells we can't counter," the head healer eyed him and walked off.

Hermione was finally let out of the hospital the next day but she was still made to rest, Lucius took the day off to be with her but wondered exactly WHICH book she touched, "Hermione, do you remember which book you read in the library? Did you touch any objects around the house or in my den?"

"I remember picking up a book...but I don't remember which one, I was bored," Hermione was lying through her little teeth but if he found out...all hell would break loose.

He sighed, "I'm afraid I'll have to move everything out of the way. I can't take the risk with you being pregnant."

Hermione's stomach jerked, if he moved everything, how could find the spell! "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to do that...but...you haven't stopped practicing have you, your dark magic, I mean?"

Lucius looked nuetrally at her, he didn't want her to know, but that curse confirmed it.

"I see," she sighed in disappointment, then rolled over on her side so as not to look at him.

This pissed him off. How dare she judge him like this! He grabbed her and put her close to him, his grip painfully tight, whispering in her ear, "let me tell you something! I use that very magic to protect you, myself, our baby, and this house, which is why you are kept in it! You are not to question what I do..."

"I nearly DIED from it, that's ALL!" Hermione snapped, her eyes squeezed tight with pain as Lucius tightened his grip.

"I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM IT! I don't want you hurt..."

"There are ways to protect things without hurting people...but that's all you know, isn't it? What happens when the baby is born and starts walking around!"

"You think I'm that stupid! Trust me, I've thought ahead.."

"He won't practice dark magic, Lucius...I won't allow it," Hermione tried to get out of his grip, only for him to flip her on her back and straddle her slightly.

"DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT OUR CHILD IS GOING TO DO!" he was loosing his temper and looking quite fierce. "This is my home, and everything in it belongs to me...including you!" Suddenly, Lucius's head jerked back...Eric was stopping him, the duel voice came back, "DON'T YOU DO THIS TO HER!"

His grip loosened and let go, Hermione moved away from him and curled up in a corner with a large pillow over her. Finally, Eric came through, he was struggling to contain Lucius...Eric had gained power while laying dormant...

"Hermione," he sighed, but looked sad when she cringed from him. "It's me,Eric...you're safe."

"Eric?"

He nodded and they held each other..., "I'm so sorry, he kept pushing me down so I couldn't come through...but I found a way, he's still fighting, I don't think I can contain him for very long, but long enough to calm him down. I was so afraid he was going to hurt you.."

"ERIC!" Hermione wrapped her arms around him and started to cry, "Eric..."

"You were...playing with a book?" he gave her such a look that she knew what he meant...the soul retrieval book, the book that could release him.

She nodded, "yes...it got me very sick though. He says he's going to put all those things away for my safety."

"I guess that's a good idea, I'll be sure to help him find good spots," again...another look...a hint, if he knew where the books were...

"Yes, I suppose."

Eric laid her down and kissed her gently, holding her tightly...then Hermione felt it, his aura changed, his grip became much tighter..."Lucius?" she whispered softly.

Hermione felt him nod, "yes..."

Nothing was said.

"I'm not happy about what he did, Hermione..."

"He did it because he thought you were going to hurt me..."

"I woudln't have hurt you..."

"You do dark magic, Lucius...sometimes, you don't know when to control yourself," her voice was matter-of-fact.

"My dear girl, I know I have a nasty temper...but I have control over everything I do, don't underestimate me..."

"Fine."

"I think you need a night out...get some fresh air, you've been trapped in this house for too long. I will take you out to dinner, perhaps dancing?"

"Alright."

"Good...now, what to dress you in..."

This was so humiliating, he was dressing her like a doll, but she let him. It's not like she had much say. The night went well, though she noticed women staring at her husband, he didn't seem to notice and when she was asked what was wrong..Hermione told him the truth.

"My dear, Hermione...are you jealous, actually jealous over me?" Lucius purred.

"I don't know..."

He only chuckled, "I'm glad you finally are...but don't sell yourself short, you're glowing and many men have turned their heads. After you went to the ladies room...I'm afraid I had to threaten a man."

"You didn't..."

"No...I didn't have to, he got the message. Come, my love...let's go home and make it an even better night," he took her hand and then practically wrapped her in his robes like something out of a vampire movie, and apparated to their villa.


	27. Searching

Chapter 27

Hermione looked out the window, her belly was starting to show signs of her pregnancy. Lucius loved it and would touch it often, laying his head on it as if trying to hear the baby move around. Eric was excited too and wanted to be more involved but Lucius wouldn't let him. But Eric was also leaving her clues now and again, trying to tell her where Lucius hid the book. He had wormed his way into Lucius' subconscious and was very aware of everything he did.

There were little signs like things pointing towards the stairs that normally weren't...they were upstairs? But there was no extra room she knew of, then there seemed to be something pointed upwards, a statue that was pointing a wand towards the ceiling, where as before it was in the library. The ceiling...THE ATTIC!

Hermione looked up and around, she remembered seeing it near the second bedroom and found cracks that formed into a square...it was cleverly hidden because it matched the cracks in the ceiling, deliberately given to give the home a more rustic look. Grabbing a step later, Hermione then started to feel around for the opening...and finally she found it, a little lever that you could push in the corner of the ceiling. It was only noticeable if you were truly looking for it, that and it was sticking out a bit more than the rest of the decoration. She tutted, "do you think you could give a me a little more credit?"

The ladder slowly was let down and this time she came prepared. Hermione had charmed some gloves for protection so she could flip through the book without any worry or harm to the baby. Lately she had been nesting, a woman's instinct to start preparing for a child. She started cleaning everything in the attic at first and then stopped herself, "concentrate, Hermione."

Looking around again, there were some books in a stack, she would start with those and put her gloves on. It seemed to take forever and Hermione was watching the time with great paranoia, if Lucius caught her up here, Gods only knew what he would do...lock her up until he came home? No, she was pregnant and needed to move around, he would most likely move the books and have the house elves watch her.

Damn! They weren't in that stack.

There was some more on the shelves across from her. She patiently went through them all and still nothing. No. That would be too easy, he would want to hide such a book where it would be more difficult to find, granted, these books were powerful enough and old, some she would like to have a look at later...but not the one that would help the REAL Eric. It was getting late...it had to be here somewhere, she knew it was but there was no more time for now.

Hermione was careful to put everything back the way that it was, Lucius could detect the smallest movements in his things. Though lately she wasn't afraid of him, he had been extremely gentle to her and even loving, yet she knew that Eric had more to do with that than he did. She managed to get down the ladder and put everything back the way it was before he came home.

She went back to look at the nursery...it was so beautiful. Lucius had it done the moment he found out she was pregnant, he seemed excited and then this wave of guilt set in. Hermione did feel guilty, all the man seemed to want was a second chance but at the same time she knew he was going to back into the dark arts again, he tried to hide it from her, but she wasn't stupid. If he wasn't careful he would end up in another wizarding prison and with Eric's body and knowing him, he'd leave Eric's body and find another victim, leaving Eric in that prison an innocent bystander. She couldn't let that happen, she had to find that book and send Lucius back either into his own body which was impossible because it was rotting in a grave, or she would send him to the other side where he couldn't hurt anyone else.

Hermione worried about all of this, what if she screwed up? What if she ended up sending Eric back? And if the attempt failed, what would he do to her? There was much at risk and the only thing she could think if it did fail, if he killed her...was simply that Harry would be waiting for her at the gate of death.

* * *

Lucius walked home in a very good mood. His Hermione was starting to show, and soon she would be waddling around, carrying a nearly developed child...then be a mother and he would be a father again. He missed the feeling of being a father, granted he was hard on Draco and regretted it now. It was him that drove Draco to turn to the Order, the boy wasn't really Death Eater material, yet Lucius was determined to make him one. Draco was like his mother, who didn't really agree with it totally and often stayed out of the meetings, though she did agree that she didn't like the muggleborns, she wasn't one for killing and her son was the same way.

He tried to save him, he wanted Draco to come back, take punishment so that he could save his son's life. But Draco had the Malfoy stubbornness in him and refused, he was at least proud of him for that because it was the first time Draco ever really stood up to him. Lucius missed his son now and again, wondering if he had survived, would all be forgiven? Yet, now he was given another chance at life. A new name. A new face. A new wife.

When he came home he went upstairs again, usually Hermione was taking a nap or in the nursery getting things and positioning them where she like them...she was nesting. Narcissa did the same when Draco was conceived. And there she was, in the nursery arranging the new toys he bought yesterday, he especially liked the training broom, it was a new model. "I'm home," she said gently.

Hermione jumped, he always could sneak up on her, "hello." She came up and hugged him, his kissed her on the mouth more passionately. She knew what was coming, he wanted her, he'd been like this a lot lately. As soon as he got home he wanted to make love, and by now she was ready for it. Lucius was more careful now, since she started to show, he had taken to positioning himself just right over her and sometime taking her from the back or the side. Afterwards he was happy as a clam, holding her until dinner was ready, she wondered why...she was the so-called 'mudblood', the one he faught against in the wars.

She looked up at him in curiosity and he looked down at her, "what is it?"

"I...I guess it's nothing, this all just seems so odd."

"How do you mean?"

"Well...," Hermione sat up slightly, covering her body. She had been a slight insecure lately about her body like all pregnant women do. Lucius thought it was adorable. "I don't understand why you would want...me, I guess. You fought against me during the wars, you could have anyone and I know you say that I'm smart or pretty, or that we have been through a lot...but even that, a man like you...someone like you should still view as...useless or worthless."

"Are we on that again?" Lucius sighed. "I told you before, and I will tell you again, you and I are connected, whether or not you want to admit it. And as selfish as it seems, I want a second chance as well..."

Hermione looked at him, was he serious. He, a man who often claimed he regretted nothing, was telling her he wanted as second chance?

"You and I understand each other. I can no longer see myself running around with the same people I once did. I want to experience another way of life..."

"Yet you would still practice the dark arts..."

"That part of me will always exist, yet it isn't as bad as it once was. I want the life I'm used to, the life of wealth and our child deserves the best. It is only instinct that I would do what is necessary to provide the best life possible through almost any means necessary."

Hermione looked down, she hadn't really thought about it that way, "you...you...haven't hurt anyone, have you?"

"No. Manipulated, yes. Caused things to go my way, of course...but I have not take a life." He lifted her head up then, "but I promise you, if someone threatens us...I won't hesitate."

"Would you ever cheat on me?" she said softly, she didn't know why she even asked...hormones, she guessed.

"No. I may be a lot of things, but unfaithful, I am not. But if you cheat my little woman, you won't know what hit you...," Lucius grabbed her upper arms and pulled her close easily, he did this so she could feel his strength. Fear ran through her for a second, he loved it, he loved making his dominance known and it worked...she nodded her head. Suddenly there was a tent underneath the sheets, "looks like I need more." Hermione blushed for a second and then felt herself being pulled on top of him.

* * *

She lay there at night while he was sleeping, in her mind she searching in the room, wondering if she missed anything. Lucius' heavy breathing stopped..., "you need to go to sleep, Hermione." He rolled over, "is something wrong?"

"No...I just can't sleep, probably slept too long for my nap."

He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her, "well, try and rest anyway." Lucius rested his hand on her stomach and went back to sleep. Hermione found herself burying her head in his chest and feeling the security of his warmth all around her...could she do this? He was feeling so familiar now...


End file.
